A Slippery Slope
by seatergirl71
Summary: After Max breaks up with her, Casey wants to change things in her life. Rated M for sexual situations and language.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary:** After Max dumps her, Casey wants to change things in her life.

**Rating:** M. Important: This is for mature audiences only.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to the show, actors or characters.

**Note:** This story loosely follows the series. However, for the storyline to work, Derek and Casey are both 17. Edwin is 15 and Lizzie 14. Marti is 9. **Important:** In no way do I condone sexual activity for kids under 16. However, I didn't want to make the kids older because it wouldn't work with my storyline. That said, I'm very proud of this and I hope you enjoy and review. I've got seven chapters in the can, but I will tweak them if the reviews dictate.

Thank you and enjoy.

**A Slippery Slope**

**Chapter One: Changing her life**

Casey was feeling a lot of things at that moment. Insecurity, restlessness, an unsatisfaction with her life. She was tired of playing it safe.

Max had broken up with her a few weeks earlier, claiming that things "just weren't working out". Casey knew for a fact that he had left her to go back to his ex-girlfriend, Amy. He hadn't said as much, but two days later, she saw them in the hall holding hands. He studiously ignored Casey, instead turning his head the other way. She watched them pass her, not having the energy to make a scene. And why would she? Word around school (courtesy of Emily) was that Max had gone back to Amy to get what Casey wouldn't give him – sex.

After everything they went through, it always came down to one thing – sex. She was tired of the issue coming up again and again. She had a strict code of rules in her life – always be honest (well, as much as you could), try your hardest, be loyal to your family and friends, and no sex before marriage. There were tons more, but these were the biggies.

Now she was sitting dejectedly in her room, pondering her life and what she wanted to do with it. This break-up shouldn't be affecting her as much as it was. She was strong, she could deal with it. After all, she got through her break-up with Sam, and there were many more emotions in that relationship. Hell, she and Sam were better friends now than when they were together. Funny how that works sometimes.

Now that she looks back on it, she believes that the demise of her relationship with Sam also had to do with sex. Oh, he never out-and-out pressured her, but he certainly would push the envelope. A grope here, a squeeze there…sliding his hand in her shirt…like she wouldn't notice _that_ at the movies! No, she and Sam had parted amicably, and shortly after, he had started serial dating. He was quite the player, more so than Derek, although Derek tended to get more attention for it.

There were two weeks left of her junior year. Next year she would graduate high school, and then go to university. She hadn't decided where yet, but she was entertaining many offers. Her grades were excellent, so she had her choice. Casey still wanted to go into medicine, she just didn't know in what capacity. A surgeon? General practitioner? The field was wide open.

She spied a picture of her family on her desk and picked it up. A lot had changed in the two years they had moved in with the Venturis. The picture was a recent one, taken at a park a few weeks earlier. George and Nora were standing at the back, their arms around each other and big smiles on their faces. Edwin, Lizzie and Marti stood in front of them, Edwin in the middle with his arms around Lizzie and Marti on either side. Casey stood next to her mother with a distracted half-smile on her face, and Derek stood opposite her next to George, his arms crossed trying to look annoyed, but failing miserably.

She studied it closer. Her mother and George looked happier than ever, recently disclosing to the children that they were expecting a baby of their own in the winter. To say she was shocked at first was an understatement: she was furious, then disgusted (I mean, who wants to think of their parents having sex?), then resigned to it. Casey realized how selfish she was being when she observed how happy her parents were about the news. So now, she was totally on board, happily helping them plan the nursery and finishing the room next to their bedroom in the basement.

Her eyes fell on Marti. She was getting so big! As crazy as ever, she was extremely opinionated and outgoing. If she liked you, you were set for life, if not; you had no chance of changing her mind. She was losing her baby fat, along with her baby teeth, and her hair was now past her shoulders.

Lizzie, too, was growing up, gaining inches on Casey everyday, it seemed. She was still a tomboy, but she had taken to wearing light make-up (with the help of Casey) to accentuate her eyes and lips. Nothing dark, just sheer and natural. She was still captain of the soccer team and had many friends. Casey also noticed that Lizzie was starting to receive phone calls from boys at school, but she never seemed that interested in just one. "They're just my friends, Case," was what she would say when Casey would ask.

Casey's eyes moved over to Edwin. He had changed the most. He was as tall as Casey now, with shaggy dark hair that fell over his forehead and his eyes. He had grown out of his "research" days and had joined the track and cross country teams. His body was long and lean and tan from all of his outdoor training. He looked at the camera with a smirk; his dimples prominent in his still-boyish face, despite the trace of stubble on his jaw line.

Casey shuddered a moment, then shook it off. Her eyes drifted to Derek, who looked the same, except his hair was shorter again, finally caving in to George's nagging about getting a haircut. (_Think second season_) His lips curled in a half sneer/half smile, looking like the king he thinks he is. Casey shook her head slightly, a smile appearing on her lips. She and Derek started off on a bad note (to say the least!), but the years had mellowed both of them – to the point where she would even consider them to be friends. Of course, if she were to say that to Derek he would vehemently deny it and then proceed to pull some awful prank on her to make his point. But Casey knew what few people did: Derek Venturi was a nice guy who had – gasp! – feelings.

Casey's eyes drifted to herself in the picture again. She looked the same. She always looked the same. Her hair pulled back in a ponytail with a sensible cotton shirt (not too low!) and sensible shorts (not too short!). She sighed and put the picture back on the desk. She needed a change, and she needed it now!


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing.

**Note**: I am disappointed that I didn't get more reviews. My mind is like a gas tank. It needs to be filled. Please review and let me know if you enjoy the way the story is going. Also, I'd love to hear ideas on where you would like it to go. Thanks!

Hang on, cuz things are about to get interesting.

**Chapter Two: Unmentionables**

Three days later found Casey in the "unmentionable" (a word she heard her grandmother use and it stuck) section of the department store in the mall. Her first step in the plan to take control of her life and experience it in a different way was to purchase new undergarments. She had always gone for the practical – white cotton. No one was going to see them but her, so why bother? Now, she wanted something different. Casey perused the aisles, fingering the lace and spandex. 'What kind, what kind?' she thought. After 15 minutes of this, she mentally said 'screw it', grabbed five bras and headed for the dressing room.

After tearing off her shirt and shucking her bra, Casey stood for a moment and looked at herself in the mirror, turning right, then left. She had a decent body, she supposed. It helped that she grew up dancing. It gave her strong, lean legs and a firm backside. Her stomach was flat and her hips trim. She palmed her breasts. They were not too small, not too big and they sat high on her chest. She used to catch Sam looking at her chest all the time. He would blush and start stammering when he realized that Casey had figured out what he was doing. At first she was horrified. How could such a "nice" guy be checking out her chest? Wasn't he deeper than that? After awhile, she would just laugh and lightly hit Sam on the shoulder. A girl should be flattered that her boyfriend finds her attractive, right?

After trying on the "unmentionables", Casey settled on two black lacy push-up bras, a red spandex number, a sheer pink strapless and a deep blue halter bra. She also picked up some matching boy-short panties, not even considering thongs, since they just seemed like butt floss to her.

Smiling, Casey made her way to the checkout. Her plan was coming along nicely. This morning, she had awoke with a new excitement, knowing that she was determining the course of her life – a little dramatic, she knew – but she was a teenager, what do you expect? She had gone into her closet and taken out her hidden stash of allowance that she had been saving (she kept a small amount of her allowance in another "hiding" spot that she knew Derek would raid) and now here she was. She was passing a store when she glimpsed a skirt out of the corner of her eye. She took a detour and headed in.

Hours later, she labored through the front door of her house carrying multiple bags. Her feet were killing her and her back hurt, but Casey felt great. Like she had accomplished something. She couldn't wait . . . for what, she wasn't sure yet.

Casey plopped down the bags and kicked off her shoes. She saw movement out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head and glimpsed Edwin and a girl she had never seen before on the couch. Edwin's hand was tangled in the girl's shirt and he was struggling to get it out. The girl's hair was mussed and she looked flustered and embarrassed.

"Uh, hey, Case. What's up?" Edwin said, finally freeing his hand. He rubbed his palms on his legs, his eyes nervously touching Casey's.

"Nothing, just getting home from the mall. I'm sorry, did I interrupt something?" Casey asked, a smirk forming.

"What? Oh, no, Marie was just leaving, right? Oh, yeah, Marie, Casey, Casey, Marie." Edwin hastily made the introductions, his hand waving between the two of them.

"Nice to meet you, Marie," Casey half-waved.

"You too" Marie softly said, smoothing her shirt with her hands. "Well, I'm gonna take off now Edwin," Marie said, rising from the couch, "will you walk me out?"

"Uh, sure. Let's go." Edwin said, following her out.

Casey smiled and shook her head. She couldn't get over how fast Edwin and Lizzie were growing up. She almost couldn't look at Edwin as a boy anymore, not with his body filling out the way it was . . .

She felt her stomach do a flip and mentally shook herself. 'Enough!' she thought to herself and headed to the kitchen.

She was digging through the pantry for something to eat when she heard the front door close. Edwin appeared shortly after, stopping when he spied Casey. "Uh, hey" he said, scratching the back of his neck self-consciously.

Casey straightened up and faced him. "Edwin, there's no need to be embarrassed. I would just be careful if I were you, making out in the living room. I mean, anyone could walk in on you, right? You're lucky it was just me and not George or Nora." She snickered.

Edwin laughed uncomfortably and headed to the sink. He grabbed a glass and poured some water into it, then proceeded to gulp it down noisily. Some water dribbled down his chin and ran down his neck. Casey's eyes followed the trail, her skin tingling in a weird way. She gulped and turned away. What was wrong with her?

She grabbed a bag of rice cakes and a bottle of water. Padding back into the living room, she flopped on the couch and turned on the TV. Then it hit her: where was everyone? "Hey Ed!"

"Yeah?" His voice nearing as he entered.

"Where is everyone?" Casey said, crunching into a caramel-flavored rice cake.

"Dad, Nora, Marti and Lizzie went to dinner and Derek is working." He said, flopping next to her.

"How come you didn't go with them?" Casey asked, flipping through the channels.

"I had practice earlier, so I told them to go ahead. It was some fancy-schmancy deal with dad's boss, so I didn't want to hold them up."

"Got it," Casey said between crunches.

Edwin glanced at her. "How can you eat that crap? It's like eating air, or better yet, Styrofoam." He laughed at his own cleverness.

"I eat it because it's healthier than munching on chips or something greasy that would clog my arteries. Plus, it doesn't taste like Styrofoam, it's good!" She nudged him playfully with her shoulder.

"Whatever, I don't buy it." Edwin retorted, nudging back. "So, what did you buy at the store? Anything interesting?" Edwin hopped up and grabbed the bags. "Let's see here . . ." he stuck his hand in and started rustling around.

"Edwin! Stop! It's none of your business what I bought! Give it!" Casey jumped up and started for the bags.

Laughing hysterically, Edwin started running for the kitchen, bags in hand. Casey chased after him, also laughing. Together, they ran around the island, stopping to stare at each other, trying to figure out which way the other was going to go. Both were panting slightly.

Casey spoke. "OK, Edwin, I give up. I don't want to play anymore. Go ahead and look, but you'll be sorry."

"I'll be sorry, huh? Now I'm even more curious." Edwin reached inside and pulled out the first item his hand touched – the pink sheer strapless bra. His eyes widened and his face flushed red. He dropped the bra back in the bag like it was a hot potato. "Oh shit," Edwin was stuttering and he looked like he was starting to hyperventilate. "I'm really sorry, Casey. I should have . . ."

Rolling her eyes, Casey moved forward to take the bags. "You know, for someone who had their hand up a girl's shirt not too long ago, you sure are nervous touching a bra that no one's even wearing." She leaned close and whispered in his ear. "That's disappointing." She stood to his side for a moment, watching him, his eyes closed and breathing fast through his slightly open mouth. She allowed her eyes to skim down his body and saw something that made her skin tingle, stomach flip and a heat flood in between her legs . . . Edwin had a hard-on.

She smiled and went upstairs.

Casey entered her room and shut the door, leaning against it heavily. Oh my God! What the fuck did she think she was doing?

She blew air out of her mouth and went to unpack her purchases. She pulled out a short black silk skirt, a white halter top, and black heels, putting them away carefully. She also unpacked the make-up she had bought, nothing too radical, but she did want to update her supply. She pulled out a few more items, put them away, then lay on her bed. A slow smile spread across Casey's face. What had happened downstairs with Edwin was an example of her taking control of her life. She laughed out loud. She felt giddy, powerful, even. She sighed and the hand that was on her stomach slowly slid down. She unbuttoned the shorts she was wearing and slipped her hand inside her plain Jane panties, moving through the springy hair and finding the bundle of nerves. Casey closed her eyes and her hand started moving of its own accord, rubbing in small circles. She moved her fingers a bit lower and felt the wetness that had pooled there. Her breathing increased as did her hand movement and a few minutes later she came thinking of things that she had no right to think about.

Upstairs, Edwin was in his room jacking off as he thought about Marie, bras, and Casey, and not necessarily in that order, either.

**Review please! **


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except a car with over 100,000 miles on it that I'm still paying for.

**Chapter Three: The Invitation**

The next morning Casey was sitting at the island in the kitchen eating cereal when Derek appeared, with bed-head and rubbing his eyes. "Sup, freak".

Casey snorted, "Whatever, you know you love me."

Derek grabbed a bowl, spoon and his favorite cereal and sat down next to Casey. She had left the milk out for him knowing that he would be appearing soon after her. They ate in companionable silence until Edwin and Lizzie appeared. "Good morning," said Lizzie cheerily.

"Morning," said Casey and Derek together. Edwin stayed silent, moving around them to grab some OJ from the fridge. Casey didn't dare look at him, but she felt his eyes on her. She studiously kept her head down, pretending that there was something endlessly fascinating in her cereal bowl. Next to her Derek was chomping noisily on his Corny O's and chatting with Marti, who had just come down.

"Good morning, everybody!" The rushed voice of Nora carried into the kitchen. George was following close behind her gathering papers and shoving them into his briefcase. Nora opened her wallet and started throwing money at each of the kids. "I know there's nothing to pack for lunch, so here is some money to tide you over for today. I'll make a run to the market tonight after work." She said while pouring a cup of coffee in her travel mug and grabbing her purse.

"Has anyone seen my keys?" George asked distractedly, running a hand through his hair.

"George, try the key rack." Nora said with a "duh" tone to her voice. "Oh, here they are," George smiled goofily before snapping them up. "I'm off to work, I have an early meeting. Have a good day kids." He kissed Nora lightly on the lips before walking out the back door.

"I'm off too everyone. Casey and Derek, can you drop Marti off at school today? I would really appreciate it." She gave them a pleading look.

"Yeah Smerek! I want to ride with you!" Marti exclaimed bouncing up and down on her stool.

"No problem, mom. It's right on the way." Casey said, smiling at Marti. Derek just grunted, his mouth full with cereal.

"OK, great. I'll see you all later." Nora grabbed her keys and left out the front door.

The kitchen was silent, except for the munching sounds coming from everyone. Casey got up and rinsed out her bowl, then put it in the dishwasher, along with her spoon. Derek was close behind, knowing that they would have to get a move on if they had to drop Marti off and get to the high school on time.

Casey could feel Edwin's eyes on her as she went toward the stairs, but she refused to turn around. She couldn't handle this right now, knowing that she had crossed a line last night, and she wasn't ready to deal with it just yet.

Later at lunch Casey was sitting with Emily and Sheldon when Kendra came up to chat with them. Casey and Kendra had remained friends even though Kendra and Derek had broken up. "Casey, can I talk to you for a sec?" She made a motion with her head that indicated she wanted to speak in private.

"Sure," Casey turned to Emily and Sheldon. "I'll be right back." Casey said to them, who just nodded and continued chatting with each other. She moved away from the table. "What's up?"

Kendra shifted slightly. "Well, there's a big party tomorrow night at this guy Alex's house and I was wondering if you would like to go with me. My parents won't let me go by myself and Brandi's grounded, Brittany's already got plans and Amber is Alex's ex, so of course _she's_ not gonna be there." Noticing Casey's expression, Kendra amended, "Not like you're my last resort or anything, I mean, we're friends, right? Come on, it'll be so fun! You'll meet lots of new people and Alex's friends are hot-tees!" Kendra was bouncing on her heels and grabbing Casey's arm.

Casey thought for a moment. "How come you didn't want to invite me in front of Emily and Sheldon?"

Kendra's eyes flicked back to the couple, who were hunched close together and laughing about something. "Well, um, not to be mean, but this is a pretty highbrow party, with people from all over the area. And well, Sheldon's not exactly the coolest guy around, you know? And I figured Emily wouldn't want to go without him, so . . ." Kendra trailed off.

'This is exactly what I need' Casey thought to herself. 'I need to break out of my shell and meet new people.' "Sure, I'll go," Kendra started squealing before Casey finished speaking.

"That is so awesome! We are gonna have such a great time! When is your curfew? Can you get it extended to 2 a.m.?" Kendra was babbling now.

"Oh, um, I'm not sure about that. My curfew is midnight, but I might be able to talk my mom into letting me stay out until 1."

"Well, that's coolio. If we get there by eight that will give us plenty of time to hang out and mingle, yeah?" Kendra flipped her hair over her shoulder.

"Sounds like a plan. Why don't you pick me up around 7:30?" Casey said, staring over Kendra's shoulder at Derek who was chatting up a blonde.

"Well, I'm not driving, my cousin is, but we'll be there."

"How come you're not taking your car?" Casey's eyes shot back to Kendra. "And how come you asked me to come with you when you already have someone to go with?" Casey was confused.

"Silly Casey," Kendra said condescendingly. "My cousin is the designated driver, and I need a partying buddy." She winked at Casey and turned to leave. "See ya tomorrow night!"

Casey watched her walk out of the lunchroom. 'Hmmmm, OK. Kendra knows I'm not much of a partier, yet she invited me. This must be a sign! Yeah, that's what it is . . . and this is the perfect occasion to wear my new clothes. Excellent!' Casey thought and she sat back down to finish her lunch.

"What was that about?" Emily was being nosy, as always.

"Oh, nothing," Casey waved her hand casually. "She wanted to know if I thought she had a chance to get back together with Derek. I tried to let her down easy." The lie rolled off Casey's lips surprisingly easy for someone who's constantly told how horrible a liar she is.

"Oh, she should just give it up. Derek is way over her. He's into Sally now, but I'm sure you already knew that." Emily said, sipping on her soda.

"Except when he's into . . . everyone else," Sheldon said, his eyes on Derek as he flirted outrageously with the blonde, who had moved very close to Derek and had her hand on his arm.

Casey watched and smiled. 'Same old Derek', she thought.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing but a TV that just fried itself.

**Chapter Four: Parents Get Busy Too**

That night Casey stayed at home, first finishing a project she had due on Monday for Spanish then spending the rest of the night watching TV with Derek and good-naturedly arguing over what to watch. They decided on _The Bourne Identity_, with the two of them sharing a bowl of popcorn and ending with Casey falling asleep on Derek's shoulder.

Edwin was spending the night at a friend's, as was Lizzie and Marti, and George and Nora were downstairs.

"Casey . . . Case, wake up." Derek's voice was soft in her ear. "Yo, I need you to quit drooling on me."

Casey's eyes fluttered open and she realized that her head was between Derek's shoulder and chest. Her hand rested on his thigh. "Oh, is the movie over?" she said sleepily.

"Yeah, and it's obviously time for you to hit the sack." Derek said with a laugh.

"Mmmm, OK." Casey said, getting up and heading to the kitchen for a drink. Derek followed. "I love _The Bourne Identity_, don't you?" Casey gushed. "Matt Damon is sooo hot."

"Uh, yeah," Derek said, "I like it because there's explosions and shooting."

Casey rolled her eyes. "Of course."

Thump Thump Thump The noise was coming from downstairs.

"Derek, did you hear that?" Casey asked, cocking her head.

Thump Thump. "Yeah, what the hell _is_ that?" Derek asked.

They cautiously approached the door to the basement and quietly opened it. The noise was louder. Derek started down the stairs, trying not to step on the stairs that creak, Casey close behind holding his arm.

THUMP THUMP THUMP. They noticed that the noise was coming from George and Nora's bedroom. They stopped outside and listened for a moment, hearing nothing, and then . . . "Oh god, oh god, right there, George," followed by panting and the slapping of flesh against flesh.

"Fuck, Nora, you feel so good." George's breathless voice grumbled. "Your tits are so . . ."

Casey couldn't listen anymore; she covered her ears and turned to walk away, Derek following with a smirk on his face. They crept back up the stairs and entered the kitchen. They stared at each other for a moment before cracking up. "Oh my god!" Casey said. "They were . . ." she was at a loss for words.

"Fucking?" Derek said. For some reason, this made Casey's stomach flutter. "Banging, boinking, hitting it, knocking boots . . ."

"Alright! I get it!" Casey said. "Geez."

"Come on, Case. I know it's gross, but how do you think Nora got pregnant in the first place? Where do you think _you_ came from, the stork?" Derek was openly laughing now.

"I know, I know, but no one wants to think of their parents that way." Casey remarked, shivering. They stood there for awhile, neither saying anything, when they heard the stairs creaking, and George's muffled voice say, "Yeah, I'll bring you some water, too."

With that, Derek and Casey glanced at each other before racing into the living room and up the stairs. They stopped in front of their respective bedrooms and laughed. "Well, that was awkward." Derek said. "I'm gonna go to bed. Goodnight, Case." With that, he went into his room and shut the door, leaving Casey to ponder the events of the last few days.

"Goodnight, Derek," she said softly before closing her door.

Tonight was the big party and to say Casey was excited would be an understatement. She had gotten up at nine and then worked out in her room. She was drinking a bottle of water in the kitchen when the door opened and Edwin appeared, carrying his overnight bag. "Hey Casey."

Edwin had decided that what happened a few days earlier was a fluke – a full moon maybe. Since Casey had ignored him all day yesterday, he decided to act like nothing was different. Girls were confusing.

Casey's eyes lingered on Edwin. "Hey. How was Teddy's?"

"Oh, you know. Same old Teddy. Always coming up with a scheme to rule the world." Edwin chuckled, heading for the stairs. Casey's eyes followed him, taking in his lean legs and ass . . .

"Good morning, honey." Nora appeared in front of her. "Everything OK?" she asked, taking in Casey's glazed look.

Casey tore her eyes away from where Edwin had gone and focused on her mom. "What?"

"I asked you if you were OK." Nora stated, putting her hands on the counter.

"I'm fine, mom. I was just thinking of a project for school that I have to complete before the end of the year. No big deal." She smiled at her mom. "So, how are you feeling?" Casey asked, her eyes flicking to Nora's stomach.

"Well, the morning sickness seems to be over, and I'm feeling great!" Nora said happily.

"I second that." George said, appearing at Nora's side. He snaked an arm around her waist and Casey noticed he rested his hand on Nora's behind. "About you feeling great, that is." He nuzzled Nora's neck and kissed her. George raised his head and he noticed Casey. "Good morning, Case."

"Morning George." Casey said, her face burning as she remembered what she heard the previous evening. A thought popped into her head. "Oh, mom, Kendra invited me to hang out tonight. Is it OK if I stay out until 1?

Nora looked at her. "What is it that you'll be doing that you need an extra hour?" she closed her eyes when George started nibbling her ear.

Casey tried to block that out. "Well, we're going over to a friend of her's house and they are having a bonfire. And don't worry, his parents will be there, and you know you can trust me." Casey's eyes pleaded with her mom.

Nora broke away from George and poured herself some coffee. George looked at her reprovingly. "I know, I need to give up caffeine. I'm trying OK?" She took a few sips and handed the rest to George. "Well, I don't see why not. You've never given us reason to doubt you before, right George?" She looked to him for agreement.

"Right. Now if you were Derek, my answer would be different." George laughed.

"Well, I am definitely not Derek." Casey smiled. "Thank you!" She got up and hugged her mom. "You too, George." She gave him a quick hug. She headed to the fridge for some yogurt then turned to get a spoon only to find her mom and George in a lip-lock.

"Uh, well, I'm gonna hit the shower." Casey rose and headed upstairs. "George!" she heard her mother say and then she heard giggling and the sound of fast moving feet down the stairs. A bit later, as she was sitting at her vanity brushing out her hair, she pretended not to hear the distant thump of what she assumed was her parent's headboard hitting the wall. She rolled her eyes. I guess they weren't too concerned about the whole house hearing them, were they?

**Review please!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but a bike with two flat tires.

**Chapter Five: The Dream**

Casey spent the rest of the afternoon giving herself a mani/pedi then she decided to sunbathe. She figured that a little color on her skin would make the new white halter top she purchased stand out. She donned her black bikini and headed to the backyard, where she pulled out a lounge chair and got comfortable with a book.

Marti and Dimi were running around the yard playing some sort of game, and George and Nora were sitting in the shade chatting.

Derek and Edwin were currently embroiled in a heated game of one-on-one in the driveway. They were both shirtless and sweating. Her book forgotten, Casey watched them while she applied sun block to her arms and legs. She mentally compared them. Derek's hair was brownish/red, while Edwin's was quite dark and flopped over his ears _(think Joe Jonas)_. They had a similar build, both were lean, Derek from playing hockey and Edwin from running. Edwin was tanner than Derek, however.

Both were wearing basketball shorts and sneakers, and Derek's ever-present leather rope necklace was flopping around as he tried to block Edwin from making a shot.

"Whoa!" Casey heard Derek say. "That's traveling!"

"No way, bro." retorted Edwin. "Quit trying to cheat so you can win. Just admit that you are getting beat by your younger and better-looking brother."

"Get out of fantasyland, Ed." Derek panted as he stole the ball and hooked a shot into the net. "Take that!" Derek was strutting around like a peacock.

"Whatever." Edwin mumbled as he chased the ball. The game continued but Casey zoned out what they were saying and retreated into her head, closing her eyes as she imagined herself lying in a bed, a body on either side of her. She was nude, and she knew she wasn't alone. She shifted slightly in the lounge chair. In her mind's eye, she felt hot breath in both her ears. 'Please,' she heard her dream self say. 'Touch me'

Suddenly she felt one hand squeeze her breast and another move between her legs. Gasping, she bucked off the bed and turned her head, her eyes clamping shut. 'Casey, look at me,' she heard a soft voice say. She saw stars behind her eyelids as a tremor went through her body. 'Casey,' the voice was insistent. Her eyes opened and she looked into the eyes of . . . _Edwin_. Casey's body jerked in the lounge chair as her dream continued. If Edwin was on one side, who was on the other? She slowly turned her head as she felt her left nipple being plucked, and caught a glimpse of Derek's face before he leaned down and took the nipple into his mouth. 'Oh god.' sighed Casey. She brought her hand up behind Derek's head as he teased her nipple into a fine point with his tongue. Not to be forgotten, Edwin's hand sped up between her legs, and she unconsciously opened them wider for better access. She felt a finger teasing her entrance and suddenly she was throbbing like never before. Panting through her slightly open mouth, she turned her head back to Edwin and met his eyes. They were dark – darker than she had ever seen – and he was wearing an expression that she had never seen before – on him, at least. He came closer and ran his tongue over Casey's lips. She met his tongue with hers and her grip on Derek's hair tightened. He was now sucking her breast and running a hand up and down her leg. 'Oh god,' Casey moaned in Edwin's mouth, 'I need, I need . . ."

Edwin moved back slightly. 'What do you need, Case?' His eyes smoldering as he watched her stroking Derek's neck. 'I need, I want someone to fuck me.' She breathed out.

Something primal flashed in Edwin's eyes and she heard Derek growl around her tit. 'Who, Case? Who do you want to fuck you?' He was watching her intently, hand still moving on her.

'Oh god, I don't know, I don't care . . .' Casey was moving more now, bucking her hips into Edwin's hand and clenching and unclenching her hand in Derek's hair. He had moved back up and was lightly running his tongue up her neck, his hand on her hip.

Foggily, she felt their hardness on either side of her legs, gently rubbing against her. Her eyes closed, and she felt, rather than saw, Derek and Edwin glance at each other before the bed moved and someone positioned themselves between her legs. She went to open her eyes when a hand reached out and covered them. 'No, Case. Keep your eyes closed. We got you, babe. We'll take care of you.' She wasn't even sure if it was Edwin or Derek's voice. With that, she felt the tip of a penis at her entrance and prepared herself for the invasion.

"Casey!" Casey jumped in the lounge chair.

She looked up to see Lizzie standing over her with a towel on her arm and wearing a bathing suit. "I've been trying to get your attention for a few minutes. You must have dozed off."

Casey sat up and ran a hand through her hair. "Yeah, sorry. The sun does that to me sometimes. Am I burnt?"

Lizzie bent over and examined Casey's skin. "Nope, but you better turn over."

"Thanks." Casey noticed that Derek and Edwin were no longer playing basketball. Derek was nowhere to be seen, but Edwin was sitting with George and Nora, his eyes on hers. She flushed and turned on her stomach. "Can you put some lotion on me?" she asked Lizzie. "I can't reach the middle of my back."

"Sure." Lizzie said sitting down next to her. She squirted a bit of lotion in her hand and starting rubbing it on Casey's back. "Hey, Case. Can I ask you a question?"

Casey stiffened. Did Lizzie know what she was just dreaming about? Was she horrified? 'Oh god, how will I explain this?' Casey's mind was frantically jumping. She steadied herself. "Sure, Liz, what's up?" she managed to sound casual.

"Well, it's about boys." Lizzie stopped rubbing and squirted more on her hand. She continued down the back of Casey's legs. "There's this boy at school," – Casey looked at Lizzie – "OK, it's Jamie – he likes me."

"Yeah, I knew that, Liz. Has something happened?" Casey was curious now. Jamie better not have hurt Lizzie or he would have to deal with Casey.

"Well, he kissed me the other day." Lizzie sat back and started applying lotion to her own legs.

Casey shifted positions so she could see Lizzie better. "And? How was it?"

Lizzie thought for a moment, her face reflective. "Well, it was different."

"How so?"

"Well, it started out OK, but then he wanted to put his tongue in my mouth. I didn't know what to do! I mean, on one hand I was grossed out, but on another hand . . ." Lizzie stopped.

"You wanted him to?" Casey gently prodded, throwing a glance in her mom and George's direction to make sure they couldn't hear their discussion. Edwin, she noticed, was still watching her. She turned back to Lizzie.

"Yeah, sort of. It felt so weird, having someone else's tongue in my mouth. I'm just used to my own tongue. I know that sounds stupid . . ." she trailed off.

A sharp squeal from Marti startled Casey and she jumped. "Well, Liz, all I can say is don't let anyone force you to do anything you're not ready for. And if they try to, just say no and get the heck out of there."

"Yeah, OK." Lizzie settled back in her chair and shut her eyes.

"Was there anything else, Liz?" Casey felt that Lizzie wasn't telling her everything.

"No, that's it. I just wanted to know what you think." She smiled slightly and turned her head the other way, signaling to Casey that she was done with the conversation. Casey felt eyes on her and turned the other way. Edwin was in a discussion with his dad and her mom, but his eyes never left her. Casey shivered and closed her eyes, blocking out his gaze.

Later, in her second shower of the day, she brought herself off thinking of roaming hands and tongues on her body.

**Review please!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing but a bunch of scratched DVDs.

**Chapter Six: The Warning**

Casey figured she would have to be not-so-obvious in her excitement about tonight. At dinner, she chatted with Lizzie and Marti and stole glances at Derek and Edwin. Derek was oblivious, but Edwin seemed to know what she was thinking. It was making her nervous.

"So, Spacey, what are your plans for tonight?" Derek asked her with his mouth full of mashed potatoes.

"Ew, gross, Derek! Can you please not talk with your mouth full?" Casey huffed.

"You've been trying to get me to change my manners for years, Case. It hasn't worked yet and I'm not planning on changing anytime soon." Derek said snidely as he reached for more peas.

"Ugh." Casey glanced at Nora who was smiling and shaking her head. "Well, if you must know, I'm hanging out with Kendra tonight."

Derek halted his movements for a moment before continuing as if nothing happened. "When did you and her become such good buddies?"

"We've been friends since the two of you dated, you know that, Derek." Casey pushed her food around her plate. "We're going to a friend of her's house named Alex for a bonfire."

This got Derek's attention. "Alex, huh?" he shoved a pile of meat in his mouth. "Well you have fun with your little friends."

"What are your plans for tonight, Derek?" George asked, taking a sip of water.

"Uh, I'm hanging with Sally tonight. We're going to the movies. She's probably going to force me to see a chick flick." He groaned.

Casey snickered and Derek shot her a sharp look. She looked at her watch. "Well, I need to get ready for Kendra to pick me up. Dinner was great, thanks!" she rose and headed up the stairs.

She felt eyes on her and didn't know if it was Derek or Edwin who was burning a hole in her back as she climbed the stairs. She didn't know how she knew, but it was one of them, maybe both.

In her room, Casey took a giant tote out of her closet and proceeded to pack it with her new make-up, a brush, hairspray, her new heels and new skirt. She stripped out of her underwear and put on a pair of the new boy-shorts she had purchased. This pair was deep blue with lace on the top, to match the halter bra that she was going to wear. Next, she put on the white halter top and looked at herself in the mirror. It looked fabulous (she thought) against her newly tanned skin. She pulled on a pair of jeans and some ballet slippers and grabbed her wallet. She didn't know why she would need it, but she didn't feel complete unless she took it with her wherever she went.

Casey figured that she would never get out of the house wearing the new skirt and heels she had bought. That's why she was smuggling them out in her tote. It looked like a purse – albeit a huge one – so she didn't think she would arouse suspicion if she were to be seen carrying it.

The last thing she did was pull another shirt on and button it up over the halter top. There, she was done and ready to go. She breathed into her hand to check her breath. 'Hmmm . . . better brush my teeth one last time,' she thought as she opened the door to her bedroom.

She ran straight into Derek, who was standing there with his hand up looking like he was getting ready to knock on her door. "Derek! You scared me! Watch where you're going, will you?" She stepped around him and headed to the bathroom.

"Calm down, Spaz. I was just coming to talk to you." Derek followed her to the bathroom and leaned against the door jamb as she got out her toothbrush and toothpaste.

"What about?" Casey's voice was garbled around her toothbrush as she scrubbed her teeth.

Derek shifted uneasily. "Well, it's about tonight. I don't think you should go with Kendra to Alex's house." He glanced at her briefly before looking away.

Casey stilled her movements. "Why not?"

Derek blew out a harsh breath from his lips. "Look, I know Alex, OK? He's not the kind of guy you want to be hanging out with. And Kendra's not . . ." Derek paused, "she's not the girl that you think she is." His eyes returned to her again.

Casey was surprised. What was Derek talking about 'not the girl you think she is?' A smirk formed on her face. "Aw, Derek, are you worried about me?" she bumped his shoulder as she went to wipe her mouth on a towel.

Derek's eyes widened, and then he laughed. "No, princess, I was just warning you, is all. Hey if you want to go hang around with juiced up jocks and skanky hoes, that's your business. I have to go get ready to pick up Sally." He turned and headed to his room, slamming the door behind him.

'Well, that was weird,' Casey thought, before heading downstairs to wait for Kendra.

At 7:35, Casey heard a car with a loud muffler pull up in front of the house, then came a honking horn. "Mom! George! Kendra's here, I'm heading out. I'll see you later!" She opened the door and went out. "Bye honey!" she heard her mom and George's voices call from the kitchen.

Just as the door was about to shut behind her, Derek appeared and followed her out. "What?" he asked rudely. "I'm going to pick Sally up for our movie. You have a problem with that?"

Casey wondered what _his_ problem was. "No Derek, I don't. You just startled me is all." She walked down the path to where Kendra was waiting in the passenger side of the car. When she saw Casey approach, she started bouncing in her seat and waving like crazy. Casey couldn't help but smile at Kendra's enthusiasm. Kendra leaned out the window and called loudly, "Are you ready to party, Case?"

Casey quickly looked around. Did Kendra have to be so loud? Geez, her mom and George might hear. She hurried to the car and got in the backseat. "Kendra, keep it quiet, OK? You want the whole neighborhood to hear?"

"Oh, sorry, Casey, I'm just excited." She squealed and clapped her hands. Kendra leaned out the window again and yelled to Derek. "Hi Derry!" she said flirtily.

Derek had the driver's door to the Prince open and was just getting ready to get in when he heard her. He turned around and gave a half-assed wave to Kendra before resuming getting in the car.

The next thing Casey knew, she was being flung back against the seat as Kendra's cousin gunned the engine, tires slightly squealing.

"So Casey, this is my cousin Tara." Kendra motioned to the girl beside her. "Tara, this is Casey."

"Hey," Tara said, glancing back at Casey before turning back to the road.

"Hi Tara, thanks for driving tonight," Casey said primly before setting her hands on her lap.

"No prob. I'm gonna drop you guys off at Alex's then go to _my_ thing, but I'll be back to pick you up at 12:30, got it?" Tara said, glancing at Kendra pointedly.

"Yeah, yeah, we got it." Kendra rolled her eyes. She turned back to Casey. "So, Case, is that what you're wearing?" her eyebrow rose and she had a vaguely distasteful look on her face.

Casey looked down at herself. "Well, about that . . ." She opened her bag and pulled out her skirt and heels.

Kendra squealed again, which was starting to annoy Casey. "Case, that skirt is _hawt_!" The way she said it made Casey laugh.

"Yeah, thanks. I just need to figure out where to change." Casey looked around like she was expecting a dressing room to appear out of nowhere.

"Casey, just change in the backseat. That's what I always do." Kendra said smiling.

"Uh, I guess I could do that." Casey started unbuttoning her shirt and slipped it off. Next, she unfastened her jeans and slid them down her legs, looking around to make sure no other cars were around. She pulled the tag off of the black skirt and unzipped it. Sliding it up her legs, she struggled to zip it up while remaining stretched out in the backseat. Next she slipped on her heels and sprayed some perfume over herself. Taking out her brush, she teased her hair a bit to give it a more "wild" look, finishing it with some hairspray. She would wait until the car stopped moving to apply the make-up.

Fifteen minutes later, they pulled in front of a huge house with all the lights on. Casey could hear the music from inside the car, and there was a constant stream of people headed in and out of the house. She felt her insides jump. '_This is it'_, she thought. My life will never be the same after tonight.

Little did she know how right she was.

**Review please!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Note:** **OK, folks. This is the chapter you've been waiting for. Hopefully, you are still with me. I took a long time to get here for a few reasons: I wanted to create a good foundation for the story and I also wanted to make sure the readers know where the characters heads are at.**

**The story takes an irreversible turn, and soon the consequences of Casey's actions will start to effect almost everyone in the story, and change their behavior also.**

**I worked really hard on this one. I hope you enjoy and review. Oh, and I still own nothing.**

**Chapter Seven: The Party**

After letting Kendra help with her make-up, and deciding to leave her tote in Tara's trunk, Casey and Kendra entered the party, which was in full swing. The music was pumping and there were professional lights set up, the kind that DJs use at wedding receptions.

Casey looked around, seeing if she recognized anyone. So far they were all strangers to her. People were dancing and drinking and some were making out. She spotted a tall guy coming toward them with a big smile on his face. "Kendra!" The guy opened his arms and Kendra jumped into them, "now the party can _really_ start!" he said laughing as he swung her around.

Casey wondered what he meant by that.

"Alex, this is Casey, a friend of mine from school. She's Derek's stepsister," Kendra said to Alex with a wink. This troubled Casey a bit, but she blew it off. "Case, this is Alex, the host of this awesome party!"

Alex had put Kendra down then proceeded to slap her ass. He moved toward Casey. "Well, Casey, it certainly is a pleasure to meet you. I'm so glad you could come to my humble abode. Please, enjoy yourself tonight. Make yourself at home. Drinks and food are that way," he pointed to a hallway that Casey assumed led to the kitchen.

"Thanks, Alex, we will." Kendra answered for her. Casey just nodded and watched as Alex went to greet someone else who had just arrived. Casey didn't like him. He was cute – tall with broad shoulders, dark hair and eyes – but he reminded her too much of a used car salesman.

"So, what do you say we get some drinks, eh?" Kendra said, grabbing Casey's arm and pulling her along. "I'm ready to get wasted!"

In the kitchen there were two kegs on the floor in the corner and bottles upon bottles of liquor on the kitchen counter. Casey had never seen so much alcohol in one place before – except at the party store down the street from her house. Kendra immediately went over to the keg and poured a glass, handing it to Casey. "Here, Case."

"Uh, no thanks Kendra. I don't like beer." Casey's lip curled unpleasantly thinking of it.

"Oh, no big deal, we'll find something here for you." Kendra perused the collection of bottles and then headed for the fridge. "Aha! Here you go. This is perfect for you!" she said, handing Casey a wine cooler. "It's just like drinking juice. You'll love it."

Casey read the label. It said "Strawberry/Kiwi" on it. She figured if she didn't like it, then she would just set it down somewhere. "Thanks, Kendra," she said, twisting the top off.

"No problem. Now let's go find some guys to dance with!" Kendra said taking a big sip of her beer and heading back out to the dance floor.

Two hours later, Casey was leaning against the wall with a buzz watching Kendra dry-hump a guy on the couch. So far, she had had three wine coolers, and because she was not a drinker, they had affected her quickly. She was currently sipping on her fourth, checking out a guy who seemed to be checking her out too.

He was talking to a group of guys, but he kept glancing back at her and smiling. Casey smiled back and brought the bottle to her lips. Kendra was right. This was just like drinking juice. She glanced back at Kendra. The guy she was straddling had one hand up her skirt and another on her chest. Casey was pretty sure that Kendra wasn't wearing underwear.

"Hey." Casey's eyes swung to the guy in front of her. "My name's Brett. And you are? . . ." He was holding a beer and smiling at her.

"Hey, I'm Casey. Nice to meet you, Brett." She pushed herself off the wall and stuck out her hand.

Shaking it, he said, "Would you like to dance?"

Casey examined him. He was about 6'1, with dark hair and bright blue eyes. He was wearing a tight black t-shirt and stonewashed jeans, a pair of Converse on his feet. Casey decided that he was cute and said, "I would love to dance with you." She put her bottle on an end table and followed him out on the dance floor.

The music was a dance mix, like you would hear at a rave, and Casey let the beat take her away. She moved her body back and forth in front of Brett, who amazingly looked pretty good fast dancing. Not a lot of guys can pull that off.

A few songs later, the beat slowed down and Brett stepped forward and took her hand, pulling her to him. She willingly followed, feeling the alcohol flow through her veins. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she tilted her head up at him. "So, do you go to school around here?" she asked him.

Brett smiled down at her. "Well, I graduated last year, and I'm taking a year off to decide what to do. I'm working construction right now."

Casey had a mental flash of Brett in a muscle shirt wearing a hard hat. 'Yummy.'

"How about you?" he asked, his hand drawing slow circles on her back. She was so glad she bought that halter top. His bare hand on her skin felt terrific.

"I go to Thompson high. I'll be a senior next year." Casey closed her eyes at the sensation of his fingers on her skin.

"That's cool." Brett pulled her closer yet and they swayed to the music silently.

They danced together for a while. Brett was a really cool guy, Casey thought. He was funny, smart, sensitive – everything Casey looked for. After finishing dancing, Casey had looked around for Kendra, but she was nowhere to be found. Casey figured that she had ducked upstairs with the guy on the couch to fool around more.

Brett leaned in and said, "Hey, I'll be back in a few, OK? I see someone who I haven't seen in a while. I want to say hello." He squeezed her shoulder before getting up and crossing the room to talk to a guy that just walked in. They shook hands and did what Casey calls a "man hug" before heading into the kitchen, probably for beer.

Casey sat on the couch for a bit. It was getting really hot in the room. Even with all the windows open, the body heat from everyone dancing and the fact that it was late May made the room very stuffy. She looked around for Brett, and decided to step outside for some fresh air. She meandered her way through the throngs of people, heading for the back door.

Once outside, she sighed with relief. Alex's house was what she would consider a mansion, and the grounds around the house were no less impressive. The landscape was perfect, with garden lights spotting the scenery. A hot tub was to the left, where currently two couples were in, drinking and talking. Casey wandered further away from the house. She needed to regroup for a bit. She was having a good time, but part of her wondered what she was doing. She had lied to her mom and George about there being parents at the party, and smuggled her outfit out of the house. She had to admit, though. She looked damn fine. There were many guys who had checked her out, and she had danced with a few of them before Brett had approached her.

Casey kept walking further from the house. Alex's backyard was huge! There was a light breeze that stirred Casey's hair and chilled her skin. She looked at the sky. It was clear with plenty of stars. Her favorite kind of night. She took a deep breath and let it out. She was just about to turn around and return to the house when she heard a strange noise coming from her right. She turned toward it and squinted in the darkness. All she could see were trees and bushes. Casey shrugged to herself. Wait, there it was again. She moved toward the noise silently and held her breath. It was probably a raccoon or something. If she were sober, she would have been turning to run already, but in her alcohol-addled mind, she had to investigate.

Creeping further, she heard moans and sighs. 'Oh no, not again', she thought, remembering the incident with George and Nora. Still, her feet continued to move in the direction of the noise. She found herself hiding in bushes and looking out over a small clearing, which was lit only by the light of the moon. It was so bright though, that she had no trouble seeing what was happening in front of her. She stood, rooted to the spot, not able to take her eyes off what was occurring. She had stumbled upon two people having sex. The girl was on her back, her skirt pushed up and her blouse and bra open. The guy had his pants around his ankles and was on his knees. His hands were holding the girl's thighs off the ground, giving him leverage as he pumped into her. He was grunting and breathing heavily. She was tossing her head back and forth and had what looked like a death grip on his forearms.

"Ugh, ugh, ugh," He grunted, pumping faster into her. "Fuck yeah," he was babbling now.

Casey almost laughed. The guy sounded like a cheesy porno flick. (Well, what she thought a guy in a porno would sound like, considering that she had never seen one.)

"Fuck me, fuck me, fuck me . . ." The girl was chanting now.

Casey stood, still not moving. She knew she should turn around and leave, but she just couldn't. Her breathing quickened and her hand moved absently over her neck. She felt a flutter in her stomach and her panties flooded with wetness. 'Oh god, time to leave.' She thought and turned around, only to come face to face with Brett. Casey went to scream, but Brett slapped his hand over her mouth. "Shhhhh. You don't want to interrupt them, do you?" He smirked in the darkness. Casey shook her head no. "Come with me," he said softly, leading her away from the rutting couple.

Brett removed his hand and slipped it into Casey's. "How did you know where I was?" Casey asked.

"Well, I saw you leaving the party and I figured that I should keep my eye on you, you know, from _strangers_ or something." He laughed softly. "I didn't mean to startle you, it's just that when I figured out what they were doing, I didn't want them to see us watching them, you know? Like perverts or something . . ." he trailed off, then seeing Casey's face, immediately added, "Not like you're a pervert . . . oh shit, forget I said anything." He scrubbed a hand over his face.

Instead of being insulted, Casey started laughing. Brett seemed surprised by this, then soon joined in. They found their way to a clearing and sat on the grass. It was a bit wet on her bottom, but Casey didn't seem to care.

Brett's look turned serious. "You know, I have really enjoyed getting to know you tonight, Casey, and I really want to ask you something, but I'm a bit nervous." He ducked his head shyly.

Casey was intrigued. "I've had a great time with you tonight as well," she said. "And you can ask me anything."

Brett looked up at her. He really did have amazing eyes. "Can I kiss you?" He sounded so earnest and shy, Casey's heart about melted right there.

She smiled. "I would love it if you kissed me." She said softly.

Brett's face broke into a smile and he leaned forward slowly, his eyes dropping to her lips. Casey nervously licked them, preparing herself. His lips were soft and tender against hers. Brett placed a few small kisses on her mouth. He leaned back again. "Hey, I'm really thirsty, I'm gonna grab a drink real quick, do you want anything?"

Casey still felt his lips on hers. "Yeah, can you bring me back a wine cooler?"

"Sure, no problem. I'll be right back." He turned and jogged toward the house. This night was turning out so well. Casey looked at her watch. 10:20 p.m. She still had a couple hours to hang here, hopefully with Brett.

When he returned, he handed her a bottle and sipped on a beer. They stayed outside for a while, and Casey was glad that it wasn't mosquito season yet, or she would have been eaten alive. The more she drank the better she felt. She was flying, in control (her own drunk logic) and was feeling adventurous. Brett and Casey talked for a bit, then kissed some more, then talked again. Each time they kissed, it would be more passionate than before. Before long, Brett had Casey pushed back and he was hovering over her, his tongue plundering her mouth. Casey felt so good, she never wanted to stop. Brett's hands found their way into her hair. "You are so beautiful," he said against her lips. "I just can't stop touching you."

This aroused Casey tremendously. She had control, and she liked it. Casey pulled Brett down on top of her and wrapped her legs around his waist. Brett groaned and went for her neck, sucking and nipping at it with his teeth. Casey was throbbing now, her bare legs rubbing against Brett's jeans. She could feel his hardness against her, and it made her crazy. She wound her hands in his hair as he moved down to her chest, moving aside the fabric of her top and fingering the material of her bra.

"Casey?" Brett's voice startled her out of her aroused state. "Did you like watching them?" He touched his lips to the space between her breasts and gently licked the skin. Casey moaned.

"I . . ." Casey was embarrassed to admit that she _had_ liked watching the couple have sex.

"Did you?" Brett asked again and moved his hand down her body to the hem of the skirt, gently pushing it up.

"Oh god, yes, I did, I did," Casey said as Brett's hand slipped inside her panties. His fingers found her and he rubbed as his other hand pushed aside the material of her bra and exposed her breast. The cool air made the nipple harden and he leaned down to capture it with his mouth. "Yesssss," Casey moaned, squeezing her legs tighter around Brett. "Come here," Casey said, tugging Brett's shirt up to her. She slammed her lips into his and passionately kissed him as she felt a finger enter into her body. "Oh!" Casey cried, moving her hips to get friction.

"You like that?" Brett asked, panting against her. "God, you feel so good, tight and wet. I've wanted to do this all night."

"Mmmhmm," Casey moaned against his mouth, her tongue darting out to lick his lips. This seemed to spur Brett on and he added another finger inside her. His hand was moving fast now, and Casey felt like she was riding a wave. Is this what she's been missing? Holy hell, she didn't know why she hadn't done this before.

"Casey, I want to fuck you." Brett moved off of her, his fingers withdrawing from her body. She heard him unzipping his pants and suddenly she felt frightened. Is this what she really wanted? To lose her virginity to a guy she just met in the backyard of a greasy used salesman-type?

"Um, Brett, I'm not sure . . ." She didn't get a chance to finish when she heard, "Casey!"

Kendra's voice carried over the music. "Casey, are you out here? Come on, we gotta jet, Tara's out front waiting for us." Kendra was stumbling in the yard. "Case-y!" she sang.

Casey hastily put herself together and clamored up. "I am so sorry, Brett, but that's my ride, and I don't want to get in trouble." She felt stupid, but she didn't want to push it with her mom and George.

Brett groaned. He redid his jeans and got up. "It's no problem. How about I call you sometime? Can I have your number?"

"Sure! That would be great." Casey recited her number and she watched Brett enter it into his phone.

"Great, I'll call you. See ya, Casey." Brett leaned forward and kissed her gently on the lips.

She smiled and turned to follow Kendra around front.

Casey stumbled through the front door of her house, trying to be as quiet as possible. She was singing softly to herself as she thought of Brett and the things they had done. She never had a chance to get off, and there was still throbbing between her legs. She tripped over the rug and just about fell over before catching herself on the wall. "Oopsy!" she said quietly.

She noticed the glare of the TV in the living room and turned to find Derek asleep on the couch. He was sitting upright, but his head had lolled to the side. His mouth was slightly open and he was clutching a throw pillow. She tottered over to him in her high heels and plopped down beside him. "Oh, Der-ek," Casey said close to his ear. "Derek, wakey, wakey."

Derek jumped. "Wha . . ." He sat up and squinted at Casey. "What time is it?" he asked.

"Um, it's 1:04 a.m." Casey slurred, looking at her watch.

Derek peered closer at her face. "Are you drunk?"

Casey laughed. "No! Silly Derek."

Derek flinched. "Shit, I knew I shouldn't have let you go with Kendra. That girl . . ."

"That girl what, Derek?" Derek shut up. "You know, she was all over this guy at the party, practically fucking him in front of everyone. Did you guys fuck when you were together?" Casey asked leaning on Derek and smoothing her hand over his leg.

Derek gulped uncomfortably. The truth was that they _had_ fucked. A lot. Derek thought back to all the times – in his car, her bedroom, his bedroom, even once in a closet during school. Kendra was insatiable and Derek couldn't get enough of her either. But it wasn't just sex to him. Derek at one time thought he was in love with Kendra. However, her constant nagging and the fact that he had caught her in bed with a guy from the football team ended it abruptly. He looked at Casey, who was looking up at him with a small smile on her face. He didn't have to look down to know that she was rubbing small circles on his thigh with her hand. Casey didn't need to know about what he and Kendra did or didn't do. It was none of her business. "No Casey, we didn't fuck. Not like it's any of your business."

"Touchy touchy," Casey murmured, her eyes falling closed. Derek realized that she was this-close to falling asleep and shook her shoulder.

"Casey, you can't fall asleep here, Dad and Nora will find you in the morning and you'll be busted for sure. Maybe I should just let that happen . . ." Derek said that last part more to himself.

"Mmmm," Casey cuddled into Derek and put her arms around him. "Don't wanna move."

Derek sighed and removed Casey's arms. He reached for the remote and shut off the TV. Standing up, he leaned over and grabbed Casey under her arms, lifting her up. "Let's go." They headed up the stairs, Derek grabbing her tote along the way. Stumbling up the stairs, Casey said, "You're such a good friend, Derek, you know that?" She nuzzled her face into his neck. "You smell good, too." She said giggling.

Derek tried to ignore what Casey was doing and with one hand opened her door, leading them in. Shutting the door quietly behind them, he flipped on the light and dropped Casey's tote. Finally able to see clearly, Derek's eyes widened. "What the hell are you wearing?" he asked incredulously, his eyes roaming Casey's body. That wasn't what you had on when you left the house."

Casey giggled again. "Aw, Derek, it's so nice of you to notice." She slipped off her heels and headed for the bed, plopping down on it. She patted the spot next to her. "Come here," she said softly.

Alarms began to sound in Derek's head. "Uh, no. You need to get some sleep. You're already going to be feeling like shit tomorrow as it is."

Casey stuck her bottom lip out, pouting. "Derek, I'm not ready to go to sleep yet. Will you keep me company? Pleeeeease? I just want to talk for a bit. We don't talk enough."

Derek rolled his eyes. Great. Just what he needed – Casey talking _more_. Yet he couldn't resist her pouty face, and she knew that. It was one of those secrets that he would kill to keep. Derek was _not_ affected by pouty faces.

Oh hell, who was he kidding? He moved forward and sat down next to Casey, leaning back against the headboard. Casey immediately molded herself to his side and laid her head on his chest, her hand coming up to grip the front of his shirt.

They lay in silence for a bit, and Derek thought she had dozed off when he heard her voice. "Derek?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you wait up for me? Is that why you were on the couch?" She moved her leg over his, absently rubbing her foot over his shin.

His fingers moved over the skin of her shoulder. He had been waiting up for Casey, but he wasn't about to admit it. As soon as she had told him what her plans were for the night, he was consumed with worry. And it scared him. What did he care what she did? Sure, they had become friends, but she was a big girl. He knew, however, that she was naïve when it came to certain things, namely guys and their motives. He guessed somewhere along the line he came to think of himself as her protector.

"Derek?" Casey said again. She moved her head off his chest and looked up at him.

He looked down at her face and lied. "No, I wasn't waiting up for you. I just fell asleep watching a movie. That's all." His voice held a final note to it.

"Oh." Casey sounded disappointed. She didn't say anything for awhile, then, "Hey Derek, the party tonight . . . I saw things, did things . . ." she trailed off and Derek stiffened, wondering what she was going to say next.

"What things?" he asked tightly.

"Well, I saw two people having sex. Right out in the open!" she laughed, moving her hand down to Derek's waistband and curling her fingers around his belt.

Derek was shocked, but he didn't know why. Things like that happened all the time at Alex's parties. "How did it make you feel?" he asked before thinking.

Casey's hand moved from his waistband and slid under his t-shirt, caressing his bare skin. "It made me feel . . . excited . . . aroused . . . and wet." She licked her lips and looked in Derek's eyes.

'Oh god.' Derek thought, 'she's going to kiss me. I have to stop this.' He moved to get up. "Well, I think that's enough talking for tonight. You should get to bed. I'll get you some water and aspirin . . ." Derek was babbling as he was trying to pull away from Casey. Casey, however, wasn't letting go, in fact she was hanging on to him tighter. "No! Don't go, Derek. I don't want to go to sleep." Casey's voice had a desperate tone to it. "Please, Derek. I don't want to be alone, I need – I need – I need you." She said desperately.

Derek fixed his eyes on her and about lost it right there. What the hell was going on? This was Casey – Space Case, Klutzilla, Grade Grubber, Spaz – when did things go haywire? He closed his eyes. "Case, I'm sorry, but I can't . . ."

Derek started when he felt Casey's lips on his neck. "Derek, you have no idea how hard it is to be a good girl. And I'm a good girl. Do you know that both Max and Sam broke up with me because I wouldn't put out?" Derek _had_ heard that, and he had wanted to pound both of them into the ground. "I'm so horny, Derek. There was this guy – Brett – he was so nice and cute and we were kissing – he did things to me . . . but I never got to . . ."

Derek didn't want to hear the rest of it. "Case, what are you getting at? What do you want me to do?" He had a feeling he knew the answer.

She looked serious for a moment. "I want you to make me come."

Derek felt his dick jump at her words. "What?" he choked.

Casey's tongue touched the skin of his neck. "I said . . ." she drew the word out. "I. Want. You. To. Make. Me. Come." She punctuated each word.

Derek was almost frantic now. "No, Case. You don't want that, you don't know what you're saying, you're drunk . . ."

"Derek. Stop." Casey grabbed his chin and turned his face toward hers. "I'm so tired of playing it safe. It's boring. I need a change. But I want _you_ to help me, not some strange guy I met at a party. I trust you, Derek. Don't you see?" Her eyes bore into his. "I _need_ this, Derek. We don't have to fuck. In fact, I'm not ready to do that. It doesn't have to mean anything. Nothing will change. We'll still be stepsiblings who argue. In fact, I'm giving you an out. Tomorrow we'll pretend that nothing happened. See? It's a win-win situation." She was trying to rationalize it to herself and to him.

Derek was dumbfounded. She really believed that this was a good idea. She must be drunker than he thought. However, in the back of his mind, he pictured Casey and that Brett guy going at it and the thought turned his stomach. He hesitated.

Casey took the chance and moved away from Derek, shimmying out of her panties. She was still wearing the skirt and white halter top. "Derek, please." She moaned, grabbing his hand and putting it under her skirt. "Feel me. Feel how wet I am."

Derek sucked in his breath sharply as his fingers came in contact with Casey's wetness. 'Oh Jesus.' Derek thought. 'She _is_ wet.' His hand started moving automatically against her. Casey's eyes fell closed and her legs opened wider. Derek couldn't stop himself now; he was enthralled with the way Casey looked as he was rubbing her. She was so beautiful but she had no idea. Her hair was splayed across her pillow, her chest heaving, her golden skin popping against the white of her top. Derek's eyes trailed down to her breasts. Her nipples were visible through her bra and top. He ached to touch them, but didn't want to stop what he was doing below.

"Derek, that feels so good, don't stop." Casey moaned, her hips moving now. "I had a dream just like this . . ."

'What?' Derek almost stopped what he was doing when he heard this. 'She dreamt about me?' "Faster, Derek." Casey demanded.

Her hand was clamped on his upper arm and she was breathing heavily now. Derek moved his fingers down and played with her slit. He put a finger into her and she moaned again. "Oh, fuck," he heard her say. He was rock hard now, his dick aching to be in her wetness. A part of him knew that what they were doing was terribly wrong, but he couldn't seem to stop himself. He added another finger inside her wetness and started moving them around. Casey softly squealed and her hand moved behind his head, drawing his face closer to hers. She opened her eyes and looked at him, a soft smile on her lips. Before he knew it, they were kissing, their tongues lightly mingling. Her mouth felt incredible and for a brief moment he wondered how it would feel wrapped around his cock.

She continued to kiss him as he added a third finger. This seemed to really get her going and he knew she was close. "Do it, Derek, fuck me with your hand." He moved his hand faster and faster against her as his lips lightly pressed against hers, their breath mingling. She was panting openly now, and he lightly nipped her bottom lip. Right at that moment, she gave a hoarse cry and her body went into tremors. He continued to move his hand inside her but slowed as she came down from her orgasm.

She sighed and opened her eyes. Derek carefully removed his fingers from her slickness and wiped them on his jeans. "Thank you, thank you so much," Casey breathed before pulling him down for a soft kiss. It was then that she noticed his hardness against her leg. "Oh my, would you like me to . . . ?"

"No, that's OK," Derek interrupted her. "You get some sleep. This never happened, right?" He wanted to make sure she remembered that part of their deal in the morning. He didn't want things to be any more awkward than they already would be.

"Mmmm, OK." She rolled over and passed out.

Derek left her room and entered his. He didn't sleep for a long time, having to take care of his hard-on before he could doze off.

'I think I just made a huge mistake', he thought to himself before he shut his eyes.

**Review please!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but a rusted-out grill.

**Chapter Eight: It Meant Nothing**

Casey woke up the next morning with a giant hangover and a slight soreness between her legs. She groaned and rolled over in bed, away from the glare of the window. Cracking open her eyes, she looked at her bedside clock. 10:15 a.m. To Casey, that was sleeping in. She sat up and rubbed her hand over her face. 'Ugh', she thought to herself. 'I feel like I have fur on my teeth.' She noticed a glass of water and two aspirins on the table next to her bed. "I figured you would need this – Derek." The note said in his typical messy scrawl. She smiled to herself and grabbed the aspirins, washing them down with the water. Then it hit – OH MY GOD – the events of last night came flooding back to her. 'Holy shit', she thought. 'Not only did I make out with a strange guy, I also made out with Derek – and I let them both finger me!' Her stomach lurched. She felt like she was going to throw up. 'Calm down, Case. This is not a big deal.' "_This never happened, right?_" Derek's voice rang in her head. She smiled. 'Right.' She thought to herself. 'I can deal with this.' Rising off the bed, she glimpsed herself in the mirror and scowled. 'Ew, gross.' She had slept in her clothes and hadn't washed the make-up off her face. It was now smeared, her eyes looking slightly raccoon-ish.

She gathered up some clothes to change into and cracked open her door. She did not want her parents or the kids to see her like this. That would surely raise suspicion. She poked her head out the door and quickly made her way into the bathroom, where she washed the events of the night before down the drain.

Feeling one hundred percent better, Casey emerged in the kitchen with a face devoid of make-up, her hair pulled back in a pony and wearing pink juicy shorts and a white tank top. It was supposed to be hot today, so she didn't want to wear too much.

"Well, good morning, sleepyhead. Did you have fun last night?" Nora asked Casey. George and Nora were sitting at the island. George was drinking coffee and reading the Sunday paper and Nora was nibbling on a piece of toast and drinking juice.

Casey smiled. "Yeah, it was great. Alex lives in a mansion and has an awesome fire pit where we had the bonfire." Casey was finding it easier and easier to lie. This should have troubled her more, but it didn't. She added for their benefit: "And his parents are really cool too. You know, letting him have his friends over."

Nora nodded absently. "That's nice honey." She was looking over George's shoulder at something in the paper. Casey opened the fridge and looked in. Nothing looked good, and she wasn't sure if her stomach could handle food at the moment. She grabbed a bottle of water and her trusty rice cakes. They would be OK on her stomach, being as bland as they are. (She wouldn't tell Edwin that, though, considering that would only validate his theory about rice cakes tasting like air.)

She headed for the living room where Derek, Edwin, Lizzie and Marti were all sitting and watching TV. "Scooch over Liz," Casey said sitting down between Lizzie and Edwin. Derek was sitting in his chair, leaving Ed, Liz, Marti and Casey on the couch.

"What are we watching?" Casey asked.

"We're watching cartoons!" Marti screamed.

Casey winced. She wasn't quite ready for a hyper Marti this morning. "Great." Casey chanced a glance at Derek, who seemed to be engrossed in the TV. She turned back to her rice cakes.

"Eating air again, I see." She heard from next to her.

"Yep, and I'm loving it." She smirked at Edwin. She took a big bite and chewed in his face. "Mmmmm."

Edwin laughed.

The phone rang and Casey heard her mother answer it. "Casey! Phone!" Casey got up and went into the kitchen. "Hello?"

"Hey Case." Emily's chipper voice sounded in her ear. "It's supposed to be hot today, would you like to come over and swim?"

"Hey Em. Sure. That sounds great. What time would you like me to come over?"

"How about 1. My mom wants me to do some things around the house first."

"Cool. I'll see ya then." Casey hung up the phone. "Mom, I'm heading to Em's at 1 to go swimming. Is that cool?" She hated asking permission to go next door, but she wanted to be respectful.

"No problem, honey. Enjoy yourself." Nora said rinsing her plate.

"I will." Casey said and headed upstairs to do the rest of her homework. She liked to be finished with it before Sunday night. It made for a stress-less weekend.

At quarter to one, Casey changed into her red bikini and grabbed a beach towel, her sunglasses and sunscreen and left her room to go next door. She was in the laundry room searching for her sandals when she heard movement behind her. Casey turned around to see Derek leaning against the island staring at her. "What are you looking at?" Casey said somewhat rudely. She didn't know what caused her to sound like that.

Derek's eyes narrowed a bit before he smirked. "I was just wondering why you want to punish me."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Casey snapped.

"Well, I figure having to see you in a bikini two days in a row is punishment. I mean, really, Case. No one wants to see that." He laughed and walked into the living room leaving Casey there fuming.

'What an ass!' she thought angrily before stopping herself. 'Wait. _This is how it is_. Normal. Nothing's changed. This is good!' She smiled and walked out the door.

Upstairs, Derek was in his room talking to himself. "It meant nothing, it meant nothing . . ."

Casey and Emily were floating on rafts in Emily's pool. It was a beautiful day. Blue skies, a slight breeze, and 85 degrees. That was exceptionally warm for May in Canada.

"So, Case. What did you do last night? I called, but your mom said you were out."

"Oh. Well, Kendra ended up calling me and we hung out at her house. Nothing big." Casey hoped Emily would buy the lie. She changed the subject. "So, what did _you_ do last night?"

Emily sighed. "Nothing, that's why I was calling you. I was hoping we could hang out."

"Oh, I'm sorry Em." Casey _was_ sorry. "Where was Sheldon?"

"He's at a family reunion in Ottawa." Said Emily.

The subject was dropped after that, leaving the girls to soak up the sun in silence, only occasionally chatting about surface things like school and shopping. Later, in Emily's room, they were sprawled on Emily's bed listening to music and chatting about what else – boys.

"So, Case, do you have your eye on any guys since your breakup with Max?" Emily knew that Casey was pretty much over him and wasn't afraid to broach the subject anymore.

Casey snorted. "I'm always looking, Em." They laughed together. "But no one is standing out. Maybe my standards are too high." Casey thought back to the night before and Brett's face entered her memory. Man, he was gorgeous. And then there was Derek . . . her face flushed suddenly and she hoped that Emily didn't notice.

Emily spoke. "Well, maybe you'll meet your soul mate this summer and fall madly in love!" Emily's eyes were distant. Casey chuckled. And Emily kidded Casey about _her_ being the hopeless romantic!

"Yeah, maybe." Casey smiled to herself.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing but . . . hmmmm, I can't think of anything.

**Chapter Nine: The Keener's Still Here**

The next day at school, Casey was at her locker between classes when Kendra approached. "Hey Case. Some party on Saturday, eh?"

Casey shut her locker and they both headed to their next class, which they had together. "Yeah, I had a great time. Thanks for inviting me."

"No problem. I'm glad I did. So, you and Brett hit it off, huh? That's awesome, he is sooooo fine." Kendra sighed dramatically.

Casey looked at her sharply. "How did you know we hit it off?"

Kendra smirked. "Well, I heard that after we left, you were all he could talk about."

'Aw! That's so sweet!' Casey thought to herself. "Wait, who told you that?"

"Well, I talked to my '_friend'_" – Kendra's euphemism for fuck buddy – "yesterday. He just happens to be good friends with Brett. He said that Brett's planning on calling you sometime this week to ask you out. Isn't that awesome?"

Casey thought that Kendra used the word "awesome" a little too much, but she was excited just the same. "Really? He _is_ nice . . ." she trailed off. "So, what happened to you Saturday night? Anything interesting?" Casey said jokingly.

Kendra looked around before answering. "Well, let's just say that Matt rocked my world . . . twice." She added for dramatic effect. Casey's eyes widened. "Wow."

"How about you and Brett? Did you get any?" They had arrived at their class and were entering. Casey glimpsed Derek sitting at his desk chatting with the girl behind him. She was one of the biggest sluts of the school, Casey noted. She shifted her attention back to Kendra. "Nah, we just kissed a little." Casey had no intention of telling Kendra anything she didn't want spread all over school. Between Kendra and Emily, Casey was friends with the biggest gossipers around. She had to be careful. Casey was also glad that Brett didn't "kiss and tell". That earned him more points with her.

"Oh, well, maybe next time, huh?" Kendra threw over her shoulder before going to her desk on the opposite side of the room. Casey didn't respond, instead sitting down and getting out her notebook and a pencil. Biology was one of her favorite classes and she always took notes. Hey, she wanted to change her life, but she wasn't ready to give up _all_ her good habits!

The next few weeks passed uneventfully. School was out, and Casey had gotten a part-time job babysitting for a couple who lived down the street. They had a daughter who was five and a son who was three. The parents both worked during the day, but they only needed Casey to watch the kids on Monday, Tuesday and Thursdays, as they were in daycare the other two days of the week. She spent her off time hanging with Emily (when Emily wasn't hanging with Sheldon), and bumming around the house. George and Nora had talked about maybe taking the family on a summer vacation, but Casey hadn't heard anything more about it since they first brought it up. If they did decide to go somewhere, she hoped it was somewhere educational, so she could not only have fun, but learn something as well. The keener hadn't totally left Casey's personality.

She had also gone out with Brett a few times, gladly accepting his date when he called. Nora had insisted on meeting him before letting her go, so Brett had come in the house on their first date and met the family. Casey could tell that George and Nora were impressed with Brett's manners and they gladly gave Casey their blessing. Lizzie was smitten and couldn't stop staring at him, while Marti eyed him critically. Casey couldn't tell yet – even a few weeks later – if Marti liked him or not. Derek and Edwin had pretty much the same reaction – disdain. Although they were nice enough to Brett – shaking his hand and saying hello, they both wore nearly identical expressions when Brett's back was turned – which was to say that they thought he was a tool. Or a "pretty boy" as Derek had said to her later.

Brett was funny and laid back, a gentleman who held the door open for Casey and held her hand in public. Nothing more had progressed physically between them – yet. They mostly made out, and Brett loved to play with her breasts, which was more than OK with her. A few nights ago at the movies, things had gotten a bit out of control when Brett had slid his hand up Casey's jean skirt and started exploring, but other than that, they were just having a good time getting to know each other. Casey wasn't ready to call him her boyfriend, mainly because he hadn't asked her to be his girlfriend. And she wasn't going to appear pushy by asking him first.

Tonight he was taking her out to dinner and presently she was in her room deciding what to wear when a knock sounded on her bedroom door. "Yeah?" she asked while rummaging around in her closet.

"It's me." Derek's voice sounded. "Can I come in? Are you decent?" his voice held a leering quality to it that made Casey smile.

"Sure, come on in." Casey continued looking for the "perfect" thing to wear. Looks like she would have to go shopping again soon!

Derek sat on her bed. "So, what are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm trying to find something to wear for my date with Brett tonight. He's taking me out to dinner."

"Ugh. You're going out with him _again_? What, are you guys boyfriend/girlfriend now?"

Casey turned to look at Derek. She was surprised by the expression she saw on his face. He looked, dare she say, _jealous_. Casey filed this away for later consideration. "No, not yet, but I'm hoping he asks me soon." She held up her arms, each holding a blouse. "So, should I wear this," she raised her right arm, "or this," she put her raised arm down and held up the other one.

Derek hesitated, examining his choices. "Hmmmm. The white one. It looks good against your skin." He seemed to realize what he just said and his eyes widened and he looked embarrassed.

Casey laughed. "Derek, don't always act so horrified when you 'accidentally' compliment me. I like it."

Derek snorted. "Look princess," he pointed his finger at her. "If that were to get out, my reputation would be forever tarnished." Casey widened her eyes at his use of the word "tarnished". She didn't know he even knew what that meant. He continued, "So I would appreciate it if you could keep that to yourself, got it?"

Casey moved forward, dropping the blouse on the bed. She put her hands on either side of Derek's legs and leaned in close to Derek's face. "Oh, I'm real good with keeping secrets," Casey breathed, "especially when it comes to you." She leaned back up and looked at Derek. He was staring at her, his mouth hanging open and his eyes wide. She noticed he was sporting a boner and that feeling of _power_ came over her again. It turned her on like no other.

She moved back to her closet. "Now, help me decide if I should wear a skirt or shorts, or maybe . . ." Derek groaned and fell back on the bed. This girl was going to kill him!

**Review please!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Note: **OK people. I don't want to hear from anyone else about how George and Nora getting busy is gross. It happens, deal with it! Oh, and thanks for reading. 

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing but three busted VCRs.

**Chapter Ten: Dinner and a Show**

Casey was enjoying her dinner with Brett. He had taken her to a cute little café in downtown London, where she was currently munching on salad and bread sticks while listening to Brett tell her about the new puppy that his little sister had received for her birthday. "So, you should have seen her face, Case. She was so excited, jumping up and down and screaming. I thought my ears were gonna burst!" Brett laughed. Casey knew from hearing him talk that he held great affection for his little sister. She wondered if their relationship was similar to the one between Derek and Marti. "She ended up naming it 'Bouncer'. Kinda dumb, but what can you do?" He bit into a bread stick. "Anyway," he continued, talking with his mouth full, which reminded her of Derek . . . "Now we're trying to get the dog housebroken before every piece of carpet in the house is ruined."

Casey laughed. "That's so sweet! Well, not the peeing all the over house thing, but your sister being so excited? Very cool." She paused before continuing, "Your family sounds really nice." She wanted to add 'maybe I can meet them sometime,' but she didn't want to be presumptuous.

"Yeah, they're OK." Brett smiled. His voice lowered. "By the way, you look beautiful tonight, Casey."

Casey flushed with pleasure. "Thanks." Brett was quickly shaping up to be the perfect guy in Casey's mind. She couldn't think of a single thing that bugged her about him. In the past, her boyfriends all had little things that annoyed her, such as Sam's constant wearing of that stupid hat, to Max being clueless about "chivalry". Well, she had found her Ivanhoe. And she had never been happier.

Later, they were walking hand in hand down the street toward the park in the center of town. They came to a bench and sat, Brett wrapping his arm around her. He played with the ends of her hair and she snuggled into him. "Hey Case?" He asked tentatively.

"Hmmmm?" She murmured. 'This was so perfect.'

"Um, would you like to be my girlfriend?" Brett asked, turning slightly to look at her face.

Casey resisted the urge to jump up and down. She put on a brilliant smile. "Yes. I would love to be your girlfriend!" Casey said, throwing her arms around him. He hugged her tightly.

She leaned back from the hug and moved forward to kiss him. He accepted her lips with a smile and they kissed sweetly for awhile until it was time for him to take Casey home.

Edwin was walking home from a friend's when he passed Brett's car in front of their house. The windows were steamed up, but he could see a bare foot pressed against the back passenger seat window. '_Casey'_ his stomach clenched. He growled and went into the house.

He was sitting on the couch watching TV when the front door opened and in strolled Casey. Her hair was mussed and her lips looked swollen. She was smiling when she saw him. She stopped short. "Hey Edwin. What's shakin?" She toed off her flip-flops and came to sit on the couch next to him. "What are you watching?" She glanced at the TV.

He grunted. "I don't know. I've just been mindlessly flipping channels looking for something good."

"I see." Said Casey. "Where's everyone?"

"Don't know. I just got home myself."

"Hmmm. OK." Casey went to get off the couch when Edwin added, "You know, you might want to take your own advice."

Casey turned to Edwin, a confused look on her face. "What do you mean?"

"I saw you tonight." Edwin said nothing further.

Casey's eyebrows rose. 'He saw what?' She asked herself. "What are you talking about, Edwin?" She folded her arms.

"I mean, I was walking home from Teddy's and I saw you and Brett . . ." he paused, "in his car . . ." another pause, "_right in_ _front of the house_. You wouldn't want dad or Nora to see that, would you?" He was burning holes in her now.

Casey dropped her arms and stood there silently for a moment. Then she turned and walked away. Edwin just sat there, and then turned back to the TV, continuing to look for something to watch.

'How embarrassing!' Casey thought to herself as she sat on her bed. 'Edwin probably thinks we were fucking right there in the car!' They weren't, of course. She knew better than to do that. Not in a car (especially her first time!) and definitely not in front of her house. Things had just gotten a little out of control again and she had let her hormones take over. She couldn't help it. With her vow to change her life and live a little, to her ever-present attraction for both Derek and Edwin, to Brett being so sweet and oh-so-gorgeous, she felt like she was going to explode! She was walking around half-aroused all the time, it seemed, and masturbating daily was the only thing that kept her sane. Geez, is this what guys were like? She sighed dramatically and flopped back on her bed. She was staring at her ceiling when the phone rang. "Hello?" Casey answered.

"Hey Case." It was Emily.

"Hey Em. What's up?"

"Oh nothing. I just hadn't talked to you in a few days and was wondering how you were." Emily had been busy with Sheldon. They were hanging out as much as they could before he moved to Newfoundland. Emily had been devastated by the news of him moving and Casey had consoled her for hours, rocking a sobbing Emily in her arms. Who knew that Sheldon would be so missed?

"Well, I have some big news." Casey smiled into the phone. "Brett asked me to be his girlfriend." Casey had told Emily she met Brett at the mall while shopping, hoping that the real story of how they met would never come up.

"Eeeeeeeep!" Emily screamed into the phone. "Casey, I'm so happy for you! I'm so glad you are moving on with your life. Max can eat shit, right?" Emily laughed, and so did Casey.

"Right, Em. It was so romantic! He took me to this cute café, then we took a walk in the park, then . . ."

Edwin stood on the other side of Casey's bedroom door listening to her conversation with Emily. Yeah, yeah, he knew it was wrong, but he couldn't help himself. He was finding it hard to forget the night that Casey had so blatantly flirted with him. And with summer being here and her walking around in her bikini shooting meaningful glances at him, he was about to explode. He frowned as he heard Casey gush on and on about Brett. What a douchebag that guy was. 'Well, if he fucking hurts Casey like Max and Sam, I'll kick his ass.' thought Edwin as he walked to his room.

A few days later, Casey was babysitting down the street and was outside in the front yard with the kids when she saw Edwin jogging down the street toward her. He was shirtless, as he almost always was (unless it was the middle of winter, of course) and wearing blue running shorts with a white stripe down the sides. He had his ipod clipped to his waist and the ear buds in, probably listening to what he jokingly called his "training montage" music. He was sweating and his hair was plastered to his forehead. He spied Casey and waved as he went by. She waved back and licked her lips unconsciously. 'Oh hell,' she thought. 'Looks like I need another date with my hand.' She laughed to herself.

At that moment, her phone rang, and she glanced at the display. Brett it said. She smiled and answered. "Hi honey," Casey said happily.

"Hey babe. How are you today? I know you're working, so I won't keep you. There's this party in a few days and I was wondering if you would like to come to it with me." Brett's voice sounded in her ear, making her shiver.

"Sure. Anywhere you are is fine with me." She almost made herself sick with how sappy she sounded. "Whose party is it?"

"Alex. He's having his famous 'Out-of-school, on-break-from-college, it's-summer-so-let's-party-bash." Brett laughed.

Casey giggled. "Boy, he sure has a lot of parties. Don't his parents care?"

"Nah, they are hardly ever home. His dad is always traveling for work and usually his mom goes with him." Brett said.

"Oh, OK." Casey heard one of the kids crying. "Sweetie, I have to go. I'll talk to you later, OK?"

"Alright, babe. See ya later." Brett said before disconnecting.

Later that day after Casey had returned home from working, she and Derek were chilling out on the patio in the backyard. He had just returned home from working a shift at Smelly Nellie's and was still in his uniform. "Hey Case. You have any plans for tonight?" Derek asked her.

"Nope. Just hanging around here. Emily's busy with Sheldon, and Brett's working late at the job site." She examined her toes. She would have to redo her pedicure soon. Preferably before the party on the weekend.

"Well, you know the new Indiana Jones movie is out, and I want to go see it, but Sam is busy and Ralph has already seen it." Derek was looking down at his lap.

"Why don't you ask Sally?" Casey asked.

Derek shifted in his chair. "Well, I'm taking a little break from Sally for a bit. She was starting to get the wrong idea about us . . . what with all the time we were spending together. I'm not ready to be in a relationship right now, and I think she's still on the rebound from Patrick anyway."

"So, are you asking me to go to the movies with you?" She smirked at him.

He chuckled. "Geez, Case, you make it sound like I'm asking you out on a date. But yeah, I was wondering if you would like to go with me. Tonight. To the movies." He looked at her, his expression guarded.

He looked so cute sitting there waiting for her answer. She couldn't say no to him any more than he could say no to her. That thought made Casey laugh. "Sure, I'll go with you."

Derek smiled. "I knew you couldn't resist my charms."

Casey rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. You keep thinking that, Venturi."

Casey and Derek were sitting in the movie theater, and Casey had her face in Derek's shoulder. "Ew!" She cried. "That's gross!"_ (I won't spoil the movie for those of you who haven't seen it yet.)_

Derek just laughed. "Come on, Case. Look. It's not that bad."

"No! Just tell me when it's over." Her voice was muffled in his shirt.

"OK, it's over." Said Derek.

Casey ventured a look. "Der-rek!" It was _not_ over, and she was grossed out all over again. Derek just laughed louder.

On the way home, they stopped for shakes and were laughing together as they walked in the door. What they saw made them about drop their shakes on the floor. George had Nora bent over the dining room table and was taking her from behind. His pants were pooled around his ankles. He had one hand on Nora's hip and the other was between her legs. Nora was gripping the edge of the table and her pants were twisted around one foot. They both had a horrified look on their faces when they realized they weren't alone. George quickly pulled out of Nora and pulled his pants up, almost falling over in the process. Nora ran in the kitchen, nearly tripping over her pants, which she was dragging by her foot.

Casey and Derek looked at George, then at each other, matching looks of incredulity on their faces. George ran a hand through his hair and shifted from foot to foot, trying to find something to say. "Uh, Derek, Casey, I didn't know you were going to be home this early."

"Uh, dad, it's 10:30." Derek said with a 'duh' sound to his voice.

"Oh." George looked at the wall clock. "We must have lost track of time." Nora still hadn't appeared and Casey figured she was probably too embarrassed to show her face at the moment.

George looked at the both of them, then at Derek. "Son, we should probably have a talk about this . . ."

Derek interrupted. "Uh, Dad, we had the 'talk' years ago, remember? I know what you were doing, and it's cool. I mean, you're married right? I just wish I hadn't seen it . . ." Derek shuddered slightly.

Casey almost laughed out loud. She walked past Derek and George and headed to the kitchen to find her mom. Nora was dressed and it looked like she was hiding out in the corner of the kitchen. She nervously smoothed down her hair when she saw Casey enter.

"Come with me." She grabbed Casey's hand and led her into the basement to George and Nora's bedroom. "Sit." Casey wondered if she was in trouble, but that didn't make sense. _She_ wasn't the one who was busted having sex on the dining room table.

Nora paced back and forth in front of Casey. "Casey, honey, when two people love each other . . ."

Casey busted out laughing. "Mom, are you serious? I'm 17 years old! We had this talk years ago!" She smiled at her mom.

Nora flushed and smiled a bit. "I know, but I also know that no child wants to see their parents having sex, and I don't want you to end up in therapy because of it."

This made Casey laugh even harder. Yes, seeing George and Nora having sex wasn't the greatest thing in the world, but she also knew that they were very happy together, were expecting a baby in the winter, and she thought it was cool that they were married to each other and still wanted to . . . express their love. Casey snorted at her thought.

"Mom, it's OK, okay? All I would say is that you need to be a bit more . . ." Casey paused, looking for the right word, "Cognizant of what's going on around you. This is not the first time I've caught you and George . . . well, you know." Casey finished lamely.

Nora looked horrified. "What do you mean?"

"Uh well, Derek and I heard you from the kitchen. The headboard on your bed gets pretty noisy"

"Oh," Nora stopped, not quite sure what to say. She sighed and sat down next to Casey. "Well, I'll tell you this," she lowered her voice and touched Casey's arm, "Ever since I got over my morning sickness, I've been . . ." She couldn't seem to articulate what she wanted to say.

"Horny?" Casey supplied for her.

Nora's eyes widened comically. "Casey!"

This made Casey want to roll on the floor laughing, but she restrained herself. Nora's face got serious for a moment. "Casey, you're not . . . sexually active, are you?" Nora looked like she might pass out.

Casey sobered. "No mom, I'm not." '_Well, not really_.' She thought. "But like I said, I'm not a little girl anymore. Between you giving me the 'talk' and health class, I've pretty much got it figured out." She smiled at her mom, trying to placate her. She _so_ did not need Nora to be suspicious of what she might or might not be doing.

"Well, I understand that. In any case, I've been feeling pretty," Nora paused, "frisky lately, and I guess George and I just got carried away."

Casey knew what _that_ feeling was like.

Meanwhile, upstairs George and Derek were sitting at the kitchen island eating cookies and drinking milk, which seemed like a childish thing to be doing when they were talking about sex. "So, son," George continued. He had seemed to get over his embarrassment pretty quickly and they were now talking like they were buddies sharing a sex joke. "Nora's been . . ." He too, was having a problem expressing himself. "Well, frankly she's been wanting it all the time. I mean, _all_ the time. And me, being a man, well, you can't turn down opportunities like that, right?" He laughed and Derek felt vaguely dirty. "I mean, she hasn't been this wild since . . ." George seemed to catch himself and stopped. "Nevermind." He laughed uncomfortably and took a sip of his milk.

Derek laughed.

Later, on the couch, Derek and Casey were discussing what had happened. "I'm never going to look at the dining table the same way again." Derek said.

Casey agreed with that, then something popped into her head, "Derek! How are we supposed to eat on that now?"

They both shuddered at the thought.

**Review please!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Note:** This chapter was really hard to write. Whereas the story so far has written itself, I had to ruminate on this for a few days. The plot will start to move pretty fast. It is heading into dark territory, so if anyone is offended by sex, drug use or language, please stop reading now.

Thanks to all who have been following this story and especially to those who have been reviewing. Your enthusiasm keeps me going! I have so many ideas, this story could go on for a long time. :)

**Chapter Eleven: Blackmail**

Casey was having a blast at the party. She currently was dancing up a storm with Kendra (who she ran into) and a new friend she met named Ashley. Brett was preoccupied with a poker game that he had gotten sucked into, but had snuck away to give Casey some attention in between hands.

This party was even wilder than the one a few weeks ago. The music was pumping, the lights were spinning and the house was packed wall to wall with sweaty, gyrating bodies. There was a scent of marijuana in the air and Casey had walked in on two people snorting (what she assumed was) coke in the bathroom. She had quickly retreated and had immediately told Brett what she had seen. To her surprise, he had brushed it off, saying that it wasn't a big deal, as long as they weren't busted on Alex's property. The old Casey would have been appalled, but this "new and improved" Casey just blew it off. If it didn't bother Brett, then who was she to care? People were gonna do what they wanna do, and she was tired of worrying all the time.

A little later, Casey was playing a drinking game with some people when she spotted a familiar head of hair near the front door. She strained to see through the crowd, but lost sight of them. "Casey, you hafta drink." Kendra's slurred voice sounded from her right.

Casey picked up the shot glass in front of her and threw it back. She had graduated from wine coolers and was drinking Captain Morgan and Coke, her new favorite drink. The shot glass had straight rum in it, but Casey had a mixed drink set aside to sip on while playing.

Suddenly, she spotted Derek standing not 10 feet in front of her. He had Sam with him and was talking to a girl that Casey didn't know. 'What the hell is _he_ doing here?' she thought to herself. She didn't know whether to be angry or insanely glad that he was there.

"Guys, I'll be right back." Casey said to Kendra and the others. She got up and strode purposefully toward Derek and Sam.

Derek saw Casey approaching out of the corner of his eye. He finished chatting up . . . 'what was her name?' he couldn't remember, and turned to face Casey.

She stopped right in front of him and crossed her arms. "Derek." She stated. "What are you doing here? Didn't you warn me not to come to Alex's parties? Yet here I find you. Hypocrite much?" She smirked at him. Not wanting to ignore Sam, she turned to him and gave him a quick hug. "Hi Sam."

"Hey Case." Sam smiled warmly at her. He still had feelings for Casey, although they were strictly platonic. He thought of her as another sister, and when Derek insisted that they come to Alex's to "check on Casey", he put aside his shock that Derek even cared enough and agreed to come along. He knew Alex's reputation and had heard plenty of rumors to know that Casey was in over her head.

Derek stared Casey down. "Hey, I warned you, but of course you didn't listen to me. It's just a coincidence that we're both here. I wasn't doing anything, so I called up Sammy and we decided to hit the party and see if we could meet some hot chicks. Just because I think Alex is a dickhead doesn't mean he doesn't throw an excellent party."

Casey rolled her eyes. "Cut the crap, Derek. I know you are checking on me, and while a small part of me thinks that it's sweet, the other BIG part just wants you to MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS." Casey said with emphasis.

Derek stood expressionless. "No can do, sweet cheeks. See, if George and Nora were to find out what you've _really_ been doing, and on top of that find out that _I_ knew and did nothing, I would be punished just as much if not more than you. And I'm not willing to give up my summer vacation just because you decide to become rebellious. So get used to it, cuz I'm not leavin."

Casey thought about that. She had told her mom and George that she and Brett were going over to a friend's house to watch movies. What Derek was saying sounded vaguely like a threat. She realized that Derek basically had her over a barrel, and he could bust her at any time with the 'rents. She pulled Derek away from Sam and put on a sickeningly sweet smile. She leaned closer. "Are you threatening me? Cuz that would be a dangerous thing to do." She moved back and caught Derek's eyes, which seemed to be widening with a revelation.

"You wouldn't." He said disbelievingly.

"Oh, I would. If you tell mom and dad about this, then I will tell them that you took advantage of me while I was under the influence. Yeah, I would get punished for drinking, but what do you think they would do to you, huh? I'm guessing whatever it is, it wouldn't be good. Just something to think about, Der." She turned and went back to the table, sitting down and taking a big sip of her drink. Her heart was racing. She couldn't believe she had just said that to Derek. It's like her mind just shut off and the words were coming out before she even knew what was happening. She didn't like the way that made her feel, especially now since she was feeling guilty for threatening him. What happened that night was not his fault. He had tried to beg out of it, she knew. She remembered everything, even though she was quite drunk. She had thrown herself at him and he did his best to refuse her, but she was having none of it. She didn't regret it. In fact, she felt that it had brought them closer together, although they never spoke of it. Casey's stomach churned and to get rid of the guilty feeling, she decided to pour herself a stronger drink. After awhile, she lost the ability to taste anything anyway.

Derek was fuming. He couldn't believe that Casey would stoop so low as to threaten him with _that_. She had thrown herself at him! He tried to say no, but she wouldn't stop. She kept begging, using those beautiful doe eyes of hers and touching him in all the right places. And when she had placed his hand on her, well, all reason had left him. 'Dammit!' He knew he was making a big mistake that night, he just didn't know that this is how it would come out. "Yo, D. Everything OK?" Sam asked.

Derek was so angry that he had forgotten that Sam was standing right next to him. "Uh, yeah. Casey's just being a major bitch. As usual. I try to look out for her, and all she gives me is crap. I swear, I should just leave her ass here to fend for herself."

Sam laughed. "Since when have you ever looked out for her? I mean, most of her problems at school have to do with something that you did to her!"

Derek was incredulous. "What are you talking about, man? Remember when everyone was calling her Klutzilla? _I_ got everyone to stop. What about when they were calling her a grade grubber? I stopped that, too! How about when that asshole Scott was cheating on her with all those other chicks? I busted him! So don't even tell me that I never look out for her!"

Sam looked at him. "Dude, people never would have been calling her Klutzilla if you hadn't of started it in the first place. The other two, well, I'll give you those."

Derek realized that he was getting way too defensive with Sam and pulled himself back a bit. He needed to cool down and get himself in the company of a female who didn't want to make him tear his hair out. "Hey bro, I'll be right back. I'm gonna get myself a drink. You want some soda or something?" Derek knew that Sam didn't drink because his body just couldn't handle it. The one time he tried alcohol, he had gotten so ill that it had turned him off of the stuff forever. Having a built-in designated driver gave Derek the freedom to cut loose, and that was just what he was going to do.

He headed to the kitchen and fixed himself a drink, and then headed back to Sam. He glanced in Casey's direction. She was still at the table, but it looked like she was done with the game and was in deep conversation with a girl who Derek had seen around but didn't know. He saw Brett make his way through the crowd and put his arms around Casey from behind. He nuzzled her neck and said something to her that made her laugh. Together, they rose and headed up the stairs. Derek bristled and decided to let it go. Casey was a big girl, and with the way that she treated him tonight, he could care less what she did. He turned and noticed Sam in a corner chatting with a jiggly blonde. 'Go get 'em, Sammy', Derek smirked.

Now, where was that hot number he was chatting up earlier? He left in search of some female companionship.

**Please review!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing but rusted-out lawn furniture.

**Chapter Twelve: No blowjob?**

Upstairs, Casey and Brett were laying on a bed in one of the guest rooms. Casey was bare-chested, as was Brett, and they were making out wildly. Brett was on top of Casey and she had her legs wrapped around his waist. Her hands were moving over his back and they slipped down to grab his ass. This made him moan and buck against her, causing new wetness to gush between her legs. Brett moved his lips down Casey's neck, nipping and licking the skin. One hand was on her breast, tweaking and teasing the nipple and the other was alongside her head, tangled in her hair. Both were breathing heavily.

"Oh god, babe. You are so beautiful. I can't believe you're all mine." Brett rasped.

Casey was giddy with desire and those words only made her more so. Brett's lips moved down her chest and his mouth captured a breast, his tongue swirling around the nipple. "Mmmmm, that feels so good." Casey said throatily.

Brett's hand moved under her skirt and into her underwear. Without warning, he thrust a finger into her and started pumping. "I want you to come for me." He demanded.

"Oooohhhh." Casey groaned and moved her hips into his hand. He was not gentle as he added two more fingers into her wetness and moved faster. Casey was panting and moaning now, tossing her head from side to side. "Oh, oh, oh . . ." Brett's mouth was relentless on her tits, moving back and forth between them, his teeth nipping at them.

Casey felt her orgasm start and her body started trembling uncontrollably. Brett's fingers were moving roughly inside her and he was chanting, "Come on, come for me, come for me, I want to hear you."

That did it for Casey and she was flying, her body rising off the bed. She had a tight grip on Brett's neck and her other hand was making a fist in the bedspread.

She slowly came down from her orgasm and Brett removed his fingers, bringing them up to his mouth to lick them clean. The sight aroused Casey and she almost came again just watching him.

"Oh my god. That was . . ." her voice trailed off.

Brett smiled lazily at her. "I'm glad you enjoyed it, baby. You are so sexy when you come." He moved up and kissed her.

They lay there for a moment before Casey felt him rubbing his dick against her side. She looked at him and smiled.

"Babe, do you think you could help me out here?" Brett knew that Casey wasn't ready to have sex, although he still didn't understand it, considering that she seemed all gung-ho to jump him the first night they met.

Casey smiled and turned on her side, her hand moving down his chest to grasp his length. Brett closed his eyes and whistled out a breath. "Yeah, babe, I love it when you put your hands on me."

Casey rubbed him through his pants until he decided he would rather do without, and shimmied out of them. She returned her hand to his cock and felt him through his underwear. She didn't know if he was considered big or not, since she had nothing to compare it to. She didn't care, though, because she liked the way it felt in her hand and she loved that her touch was making him moan and whisper non-sensical things in her ear.

Casey was startled by his hand on hers, stopping her movement on him. "Can we try something different tonight, babe?" He looked pleadingly at her.

"Um, what were you thinking of?" Casey said somewhat nervously.

He said nothing, but slipped his underwear down his legs and kicked them off. He put his hand on her face and gently kissed her. "I would love to feel your mouth on me."

Casey was apprehensive. She had no experience doing that and she didn't want to come off as a total amateur. The puppy-dog look that he was giving her, though, cemented her decision.

She smiled and slid down his body, stopping when she was face to face with his dick. She reached out and gently stroked it, rubbing her hand around the tip. A bit of fluid leaked out and she moved forward and licked it up with her tongue. That made Brett suck in his breath sharply and move his hand to the back of her head. He tangled his fingers in her hair and flexed them. "Oh god, I want you to suck it, baby."

Casey was put off for a moment, his statement making her feel like a whore, until she remembered how sweet and kind and funny he had been to her since they had been dating. Not to mention the times when he willingly gave her pleasure and asked for nothing in return. He deserved this, she decided.

Without warning, she engulfed him in her mouth, moving up and down on his length. She didn't know what the hell she was doing, so she did what she thought he would like. A few minutes later, though, it was apparent that what she was doing wasn't the right thing, because he pulled her off him and said, "That's OK, babe. We can do that another time." Then he proceeded to jack himself off in front of her.

In her hazy state of mind, Casey didn't know whether to be insulted, relieved, horrified, or all of the above. 'When does a guy ever refuse a blowjob?' she thought. 'God, I must really suck. (no pun intended!)'

They got dressed and went downstairs, Brett again leaving to hang with his buddies. Casey spotted Ashley talking with some people and headed over there. Maybe things with Brett weren't going as well as she had hoped after all.

Meanwhile, Derek was waist-deep into the girl he had met earlier, muffling her moans with his lips as he thrust into her. They had retreated to what he thought was the den in the basement. He wanted to forget everything – especially a certain female whose voice he couldn't get out of his head – "_I'm so horny Derek_ . . . _I need you . . . I trust you_." He growled and fucked what's-her-name harder into the couch. He didn't care if she got off; all he wanted was to wipe his memory clean of Casey. The girl under him was scratching at his back. 'Christ, she's got some claws on her' and babbling in his ear. He wished that she would shut the fuck up so he could concentrate on getting off. A few pumps later he felt his balls tighten up and the tell-tale tingling in his back. He came inside her and pulled out, removing the condom. He pulled up his pants and disposed of the condom in the trash. "Thanks." He threw over his shoulder before heading up the stairs. 'I really am a bastard. Damn you, Casey, for making me do that.'

When he got upstairs, he noticed that the party had dwindled quite a bit. Derek looked at his watch, 12:10. He needed to be home in 20 minutes and he knew Casey did too. He searched the room for her and found her sitting by herself in an overstuffed chair in the corner. She looked ready to pass out and Brett was nowhere to be seen. 'What the fuck?' Derek thought. 'Some boyfriend he is, leaving his girl by herself to be molested or god-knows-what-else!'

He was heading for Casey when he glimpsed Brett approaching from his side. "Hey man, I was just getting ready to take her home," Brett motioned to Casey. Derek noticed that he was swaying unsteadily on his feet. There was no way in hell that Derek was going to let Brett drive Casey home. Sure, he was angry at her, but he didn't want her dead.

"Dude, she's coming with me. I don't think you're in any condition to drive, do you?" Derek had to keep himself from snarling at him.

Brett looked at Casey then hazily fixed his eyes on Derek. "Yeah, you're probably right. I'd really appreciate it if you got her home. I mean, you're going to the same place anyway, right?" He laughed, and for some reason Derek wanted to punch his lights out.

Derek laughed his fake laugh and said, "Right."

"Cool, thanks man." Without another glance at Casey, Brett headed for the kitchen, probably to get another drink.

Derek shook his head and bent to lift Casey from the chair. 'This is happening too often,' he thought. He searched the room for Sam and spotted him making out with a girl on the couch. "Yo, Sam! I need your help over here!" Derek called to him.

Sam's lips snapped away from the girl's and he got up. He headed over to Derek, taking in Casey's condition. "Dude, what happened to her?"

"What do you think happened? She's had too much to drink. She's such a lightweight." Derek snapped. "I'm sorry to interrupt your little make-out session, but we gotta jet."

Sam nodded and when Derek got Casey on her feet, they each took a side. Together they got her to the car and put her in the backseat. During the ride home, she started groaning and holding her stomach and Derek glanced uneasily at her.

Sam noticed. "Dude, she better not barf in my car. I seriously could not handle that."

With that, Casey sat up. "Derek, we need to pull over – now."

Sam got a panicked look on his face and pulled into a fast-food restaurant's parking lot. Casey opened the door and didn't get any further before she heaved everything she had consumed onto the cement. She kept heaving until there was nothing left. She wiped her mouth and closed the door. "Let's go. I need to lie down."

Derek and Sam glanced at each other and Sam put the car into gear, heading for home.

Once there, Derek was trying to maneuver Casey into the house without waking everyone. She wouldn't stop talking, however, and it was seriously pissing him off. "So then she said . . ." Casey's voice was droning in his ear, her breath stinking of vomit. He cringed.

"Casey, can you just shut it?" He whispered loudly. "I'm trying not to get us caught here, and you're not helping by babbling in my ear."

That shut Casey up. He reached her door and opened it, half-dragging her into the room and practically throwing her on the bed. She landed with a 'plop'. He went to leave when he heard her speak. "Derek?" she called softly.

He stopped, still not facing her. In his mind, he was thinking of the night a few weeks ago when it seemed his whole life was turned upside down. He wasn't about to make the same mistake again. "What?"

"I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry for earlier. What I said, I mean. I would never tell anyone that you took advantage of me, especially not our parents." Derek cringed at the words "our parents". "I know I came on to you that night, and I don't blame you for what happened. In fact, I have no regrets at all . . ." her voice trailed off then. Just when he thought she had passed out, she finished, "Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that." She shucked off her shoes and turned on her side.

Derek didn't know what to say. Casey had him on some kind of emotional rollercoaster, his feelings going from one extreme to another. Yet, he couldn't remain mad at her after she apologized. "It's OK, I know you didn't mean it. Let's just forget about it, OK? Derek waited for an answer, but one never came. She was passed out cold.

He sighed and went to bed.

**Review please!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing but this glitchy computer. Damn Vista!

**Chapter Thirteen: Ashley**

For the next few weeks, Casey did not see much of Derek. He started picking up extra shifts at Smelly Nellie's to pay for some unexpected repairs on the Prince. When he wasn't working, he was back spending time with Sally. The two seemed to be getting pretty tight. On the nights when Derek _was_ home, Sally was there with him, having dinner with the family and watching movies with them.

Everyone seemed to like Sally, what was _not_ to like? She was pretty, smart, funny and doted on Marti. She also got along well with Lizzie and Edwin, often taking time to chat with them. It drove Casey up the wall. There was no reason for her to dislike Sally, she just did. She saw something that the rest of the family did not – that beneath the veneer of confidence and sassiness, Sally was an insecure girl who defined herself by the guy she was seeing. She clung to Derek (literally and figuratively) and would often call the house several times a day to speak with him. It was Kendra all over again.

Derek didn't seem to mind, though. He ate up the attention and didn't bother to correct anyone when they assumed that Sally was his girlfriend. Casey knew from what happened with Kendra that Derek wouldn't be able to put up with Sally's clinginess for long. He would tire of it and dump her. Casey hoped that day would come soon.

Casey also hadn't seen much of Brett since the party. They talked by phone everyday, but he often worked late, and by the time he got home, he claimed he was too tired to do anything. Casey didn't know if it was her imagination, but she felt that Brett sounded a little distant during those calls, not calling her "babe" like he normally did. He would be a little abrupt on the phone and would cut the conversation short when Casey would start to ask him about it.

To keep her mind off things, Casey was spending a lot of time with her new friend Ashley. The two had become fast friends since meeting at Alex's last party. They were alike in many ways – both were smart, goal-oriented and hardworking. It also helped that they had a lot of the same tastes in music and movies. But there were many differences too – the biggest being that Ashley was two years older, had her own place, and – hang on – worked as a stripper.

A few months ago, Casey would never have been friends with someone who took their clothes off for a living. Her feminist leanings would not have allowed her to associate with such a person. Now, however, Casey felt enlightened that she could be friends with Ashley. Casey now felt that she had been too close-minded about many things, and counted her friendship with Ashley as one of the accomplishments in her goal to change her life.

On this night, Casey was hanging with Ashley at her apartment. They were watching _Ocean's Eleven_ and eating popcorn. "Mmmm, mmmm, mmmm," said Ashley. "Brad Pitt just keeps getting better and better." She took another handful of popcorn and shoved it in her mouth.

Casey agreed. "I hear ya. George Clooney also looks better now than he did when he was younger." She sipped on her wine cooler.

They were sprawled out side by side on the floor in front of the TV. Casey had told her mom that she was hanging with Kendra tonight because Nora would never let Casey go to someone's apartment whom Nora had never met. She was kind of old-school that way. Casey would invite Ashley over soon to meet the family so she wouldn't have to lie about her whereabouts anymore. However, she was a little nervous about introducing Ash to her parents. Casey had a crazy thought that her parents would take one look at Ashley and immediately know that she was a stripper. Then, of course, they would ban Casey from ever hanging out with Ashley again. Casey laughed inwardly. 'Paranoid much?' she asked herself.

Casey snuck a peek at her new friend. She was totally engrossed in the movie so Casey could stare at her without feeling weird. Ashley had dark hair (darker than Casey's) that hung just below her shoulders. Sometimes she straightened it and sometimes, like tonight, she let it go natural, in soft waves that framed her face. She had dark eyes and skin, giving her an exotic look. Casey thought she might be Italian or Hispanic, but she wasn't sure. She had a thin, but athletic build, and her breasts were larger than Casey's and "totally real", according to Ashley. She sported a diamond stud in her nose that stood out in contrast to her tanned skin. She also had a few tattoos: A cross on the back of her neck, a vine of thorns around her left ankle, and the biggest, a colorful butterfly on her lower stomach that reached from hipbone to hipbone.

She was not modest with her body, and often walked around the apartment in various stages of undress, not caring if it made her guests uncomfortable. (Like Casey had been the first time Ashley had walked out of her bedroom topless wearing nothing but a g-string.)

After the movie was over, Casey and Ashley sat around and ate ice cream, laughing and talking. Casey found that she could tell Ashley anything without fear of judgment or ridicule. She didn't even have that with Emily! Casey had filled Ashley in on everything that was going on in her life, including dating Brett, her attraction for _both_ her stepbrothers, her decision to live life more carefree, her recent forays into sexual experimentation, and everything else she could think of. Ashley had sat and listened – without acting freaked out about her friend being sexually attracted to her "brothers", and she didn't even say much when she found out that one of them is only 15. "Sounds like you've got a lot going on," was all she said.

The old Casey would have been upset and figured that Ashley was just blowing her off, but she somehow knew that Ashley was giving her a chance to just get the things off her chest that she had been carrying around lately. She didn't need a lecture or advice at that time. Casey just needed someone to listen and just "be".

Casey had been extremely grateful for that and she now considered Ashley to be her _real_ best friend. Because as much as she loved Emily, Casey couldn't be honest with her and tell her everything that had been going on without fear of Emily blabbing it all over. She didn't do it to hurt Casey, she just couldn't help opening her mouth. Casey also knew that Emily would probably be horrified if she were to find out about her flirtation with Edwin and her "encounter" with Derek. And Casey did not need to deal with that right now.

But Casey did have something else on her mind at the moment, and she wanted Ashley's input on it. "Hey Ash?"

"Yeah?" Ashley looked at Casey and saw the serious look on her face. "What's up?"

Casey didn't know exactly how to explain to Ashley what her problem was, so she just blurted it out. "What's the right way to give a blowjob?"

Ashley started laughing. "Why do you ask?"

Casey shifted around on the couch. "Well, Brett wanted me to give him one at the party, and when I went to do it, he pulled me off after a few minutes. I mean, who does that? I must have been doing something wrong, and now I feel like he's been avoiding me ever since. I mean, maybe I'm just being paranoid, but do you think that he wants to break up with me because I gave him a bad blowjob?" Casey was almost babbling now.

"Case, calm down. I'm sure one has nothing to do with the other. Didn't you say that he was working a lot of hours? He's probably beat when he comes home. I mean, he's outside all day in the hot sun at the construction site working his ass off. I wouldn't worry about it if I were you." She paused. "Now, as for the blowjob technique, I think I can help you out with that." She got up and went into her bedroom. A few minutes later she returned carrying something behind her back. She stopped in front of Casey and said, "And now for . . . Mr. Big!" She whipped her hand out from behind her back and in it she held a big purple dildo.

Casey started laughing. "Are you serious? What, are you going to give me lessons or something?" She said jokingly.

Ashley looked dead serious. "That's exactly what I'm going to do."

Casey stopped laughing. "Oh."

This made Ashley start laughing hysterically, and soon they were both rolling around the floor together giggling up a storm. Casey could not remember when she had had a better time with a girl friend.

**Review please!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but an underground sprinkling system with a bunch of broken heads.

**Chapter Fourteen: Rumors**

_A few days later . . ._

Derek was troubled. He was in his room and he couldn't sit still. Back and forth. Back and forth. He was pacing in front of his bed. He had heard something, and the information was too big to just let go. He just didn't know what to do about it.

If it didn't concern someone close to him, he would've just said "Screw it" and forgotten about it. But this could, if true, be potentially harmful to someone who he found himself caring a great deal about – Casey. And if Casey were to get hurt, well, there would be hell to pay.

Let's back up: Derek was at a friend-of-a-friend's house a few nights before. There was a small party – only about 10 or so people – and he had started hearing rumblings that there was more going on at Alex's parties than just teenage drinking. The girl who seemed to have the inside scoop was named Brianna, someone who he knew only slightly, having seen her at many of the parties around town. He thinks he might have made out with her once a long time ago, but he wasn't sure.

"_So, I heard that Alex sets these parties up, then scouts around at places like the mall to invite girls who he refers to as 'fresh meat', then he and a few of his buddies slip a roofie into their drinks and then take them up into a bedroom where he and who-knows-who-else gets their shot with them." Brianna was leaning forward on the table talking excitedly. _

_Derek was alarmed. He knew that Brett was very good friends with Alex. And Derek also knew that Alex was one of the biggest assholes that he's ever met. So if it was true that "Alex and a few of his buddies" were doing this, what are the chances that Brett wouldn't know about it? Or, what are the chances that he isn't involved himself? Derek knew he had a bad feeling about Brett from the first time he met him. He just didn't know what to do next. He didn't have proof, and he sure as hell wasn't going to say anything to Casey until he knew for sure what was going on. _

_Derek interjected. "How do you know all this?" He asked Brianna, who seemed startled that someone was actually taking her seriously. 'Ooookay' thought Derek, 'mental note: may be dealing with a compulsive liar'. He knew the signs, as he was one himself. But only to teachers and parents, and the occasional girlfriend . . ._

"_Well, I heard that a girl from Hamilton is claiming that she was assaulted at one of his parties, but she's too scared to do anything about it because she's afraid no one will believe her and she's also scared that Alex will come after her." Brianna said, taking a sip of her beer._

"_Well, how scared can she be if she's going around telling everyone?" asked Pete, Brianna's sometime-boyfriend. "I mean, come on, she's probably just a slut who's trying to cover her ass and keep whatever reputation she has intact."_

_This made Brianna angry. "You always assume that every girl is a slut! You know, things like this do happen! I bet you also think that when a women is raped, she provoked the attack by wearing a short skirt!" _

"_I didn't say that, Brie. As usual, you're totally jumping to conclusions . . ." They continued to argue but Derek tuned them out, more concerned about what he had heard about Alex and his parties. He was going to have to do some thinking on this one._

Derek's phone startled him out of his memory. It was Sally – again. 'Geez. Doesn't that girl know when to lay off?' Derek thought, exasperated. He answered it anyway, figuring if he didn't, Sally would only continue to call him. "Hey Sally." He said.

"Hey Derek! Took you long enough to answer. Did I get you at a bad time?" Sally's voice rang in his ear.

Derek rolled his eyes. He had just spoken to Sally not even two hours ago. What else could there be to talk about? "Nah, I was just hanging in my room. I couldn't find my phone at first, that's why it took so long for me to answer." Another girl, another lie.

"Oh." Sally paused. "Well, I know we just spoke, but I wanted to know if you could come over tonight. My parents are unexpectedly not going to be home _all_ night." Another pause. "And I don't really want to be alone." She said seductively.

This perked Derek up a little bit. "What about your brother?" Sally had an older brother, Matthew, who was a pretty cool guy. He and Derek always got along great together when Derek was there visiting.

"He's in Toronto with his friends for a few days." Sally said. "So, can I expect you?" Her voice sounded hopeful. Derek looked at the clock. It was already 10:30 p.m. How was he going to explain to his dad and Nora that not only was he leaving, but he wouldn't be home all night?

He weighed his choices. Sally was pretty much offering him all-night sex without fear of being caught by the 'rents. However, he would have to come up with a doozy of a lie at the last minute to be able to get out of the house. Another reason not to do it is if Derek _were_ to sleep with Sally, she would be even clingier than she already was. She already acted like she was his girlfriend, even though Derek had never officially asked her. He knew he had let it go too far because it bothered Casey that he was hanging out so much with Sally again. Casey never came right out and said it, but he could tell.

Casey had made some vague comments about Sally calling the house too much, and he had caught Casey giving Sally dirty looks when she thought no one was paying attention. In a weird way, this made Derek happy. He wanted Casey to be bothered by the fact that he was hanging out so much with a female that wasn't her. However, he didn't want to get sucked into another situation like the one when she came home drunk. Although he told Casey that he forgave her for threatening him, he didn't forget. That whole situation made him feel vulnerable, and he didn't like that feeling.

In fact, this whole new level of caring he felt for Casey made him feel vulnerable. 'I don't need this, I really don't'. Derek thought to himself.

"Uh, Derek?" Sally said, sounding slightly annoyed.

Derek had forgotten that Sally was waiting for an answer. "Uh, yeah. I'm not sure about that, Sal. What would I tell my dad and Nora?"

'Let her try to figure out an excuse. She'll give up and conclude that the whole thing isn't a good idea and I'll be off the hook and not have to worry about it.' He wanted sex, but he didn't want all the problems that came along with it. Not with her, anyway.

"Oh, I guess I didn't think about that." She sounded discouraged. "I was just so excited to have the house to myself, and of course you're the first person I think of to spend time with, so . . ." she paused, probably waiting for Derek to return the compliment. He couldn't.

"Yeah," He said awkwardly, "As tempting as that offers sounds, Sal, I think I'm gonna have to pass it up. I'm already on probation for something I did last week, so how about a rain check?" Derek hoped this would be the last time tonight they would speak.

"Yeah, OK. Another time, then. Well, I'll let you go . . . Talk to you tomorrow, kay?"

Derek almost laughed out loud with relief. "Sure thing, babe. Talk to you tomorrow. Bye." He clicked off without waiting for her to say "bye". He was sure he would hear about _that_ tomorrow.

Now, back to his original problem . . .

**Review please!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing. Nothing!

**Chapter Fifteen: Hanging with Edwin**

The next morning, Derek was eating breakfast (well breakfast for him, considering it was 1 p.m. and he had just woken up) when Casey came down, looking, well, awful. "Aaaaah!" Derek screamed and clutched his chest. "It's alive!"

Casey scowled at him. "Shut up dillweed." She shuffled in her bunny slippers to the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of water. She took a drink and turned to lean on the counter to stare at Derek.

Derek stared back. "What?" He said uneasily. He wondered if Casey had heard the rumors that were flying around about Alex and his parties.

"Nothing. You're staring at me, so I'm staring right back. Isn't this fun?" Casey said sarcastically.

Derek took in her appearance. Her hair was a mess of tangles. She had dark circles under her eyes and her skin was a little pale. She looked like she had a hangover. "So, what happened to you? You look like death warmed over."

Casey smirked. "Thanks, Derek. You always know how to make a girl feel special." She paused. "If you must know, I was out late last night at Ash's." she added quickly, "but don't tell mom and dad, OK? They don't know Ash yet and they would freak if they knew I was lying about where I've been going." Casey put on her puppy-dog face.

Derek caved. 'Damn her and her cute face!' "Yeah, yeah. You just better be careful though, because they'll find out sooner or later. Especially if you keep telling them that you're hanging with Kendra. That girl can't keep her mouth shut to save her life." He thought of something. "What's the big deal about this Ashley chick, anyway? Why are you so nervous about the 'rents finding out that you've been hanging over there?"

Casey fidgeted with the tie on her pajama pants. "It's none of your business, Derek. Can you just do this for me? Please? I promise I'll tell you about it sometime, just not now."

Of course, this made Derek even more curious, and he was determined to find out everything he could about Ashley. Casey didn't need to know that, though. He pretended to drop it. "No problem, but you owe me." He smirked at her.

Casey laughed. "I can only imagine what's going through that head of yours." She turned and went upstairs.

'If you only knew.' Derek thought.

Later that afternoon, Casey was sunning herself in the backyard when she heard someone sit down in the lounge next to her. She opened her eyes to find Edwin there. "Hey Ed." She closed her eyes again.

"Hey." Edwin said casually.

Casey cracked her eyes open and took in his appearance. "Did you put sunscreen on? You don't want to get burnt."

Edwin laughed. "Case, Case, Case. Don't you know by now that real men don't wear sunscreen? Besides, I already got a nice tan going; and I'm not gonna stay out long enough to burn."

"OK, then. I'm just a concerned citizen." Casey smirked.

Edwin smiled. "Your concern is duly noted."

They sat in silence for awhile, before Edwin spoke again. "So, what have you been up to lately? I haven't seen you around much, and you've been staying out pretty late."

Casey thought for a moment. Could she trust Edwin? She decided she could. "Well, I've been working days down the street, as you know, then at night I've been hanging out with a girl I met. She's really cool."

"Oh, that's cool." Edwin _really_ wanted to know if Casey was still dating Brett. He thought she was, but he hadn't been around for awhile. "You still seeing Brett?" He decided to just ask the question he _really_ wanted the answer to.

"Yeah, but he's been really busy working construction and when he gets out of work he's too tired to do anything." Casey said regretfully.

"Ah, well, that sucks." Edwin said. But secretly, he was glad. There was something about Brett that didn't sit well with Edwin. And it wasn't just because he was dating Casey. The guy was just too . . . Edwin couldn't put his finger on it, but he knew no one was that perfect.

They spent an hour sunning together and talking companionably until Casey decided that she'd had enough sun. She wasn't ready to stop spending time with Edwin though. "Hey Ed, do you have plans for the rest of the day?"

Edwin looked surprised. "Uh, no. Not unless you call channel surfing plans."

Casey smiled. "Well, I was wondering if you would like to go to the mall. We could hang out and you could help me pick out some things."

Edwin thought for a moment. He actually did have some loose plans with Marie, but he would gladly cancel with her for Casey. And watching Casey try on clothes? Definitely. "Sure, that sounds OK." He paused. "Wait, you're not going to drag me into the bra section, are you?"

Casey laughed. "No Ed, remember? I'm all stocked up with bras."

Edwin flushed at the memory of a few weeks ago. 'How could I forget that?' "Oh yeah, awkward!" They both laughed and went to get ready.

Edwin called and cancelled with Marie, who sounded quite annoyed. "Well, I guess we'll just have to hang out another time, then. Although I've been looking forward to it . . ." Marie had whined. The guilt trip didn't work on Edwin, though.

He went on as if nothing was wrong. "Great! I'll call you soon, see ya!" He hung up and went to take a quick shower. He didn't want to smell while he was hanging with Casey.

A half hour later, Casey and Edwin headed to the mall. Lizzie had been invited, because Casey felt guilty for leaving her alone, but Lizzie said that she was leaving soon anyway to hang with Jamie. Marti was at a friend's and Derek and the 'rents were working.

They spent a few hours strolling through the mall and enjoying each other's company. Casey was really finding out a lot about Edwin. He was a totally different person now than when she had first moved in. He talked about his training and school and his goals (one thing that hadn't changed was he still wanted to go into Business) and of course, girls. Edwin hadn't volunteered the last part, though. Casey had to drag that out of him. He admitted to having had a few girlfriends, but no one serious. Casey knew that Edwin was popular with the ladies by the sheer amount of calls from females that he received. Like Lizzie, he didn't seem too impressed with just anyone.

Edwin, in turn, seemed interested in what Casey was saying and they laughed a lot as they reminisced about the times they've had since the McDonalds moved in with the Venturis. Casey dragged (she thought, but he went more-than-willingly) Edwin into almost all the stores and made him give her his judgment on a number of things that she tried on. If he liked it, he would give her a big smile and thumbs up. If not, he would make a gagging noise and pretend he was choking. This made Casey crack up, and she thought she was developing a crush on this sensitive, funny guy who just so happened to be her younger stepbrother.

A little while later, they pulled into the driveway. Casey shut off the car and sat there for a moment. She turned to Edwin. "Hey Ed, I had a great time just hanging out with you today. Thank you."

Edwin smiled and fought the strong urge to lean over and kiss her. "You're welcome. Me too." He debated what else to say. "We should do this again sometime, yeah?" He was hoping that he didn't sound desperate.

"Definitely. It's a date." Casey winked at Edwin and opened the door. "Now, if I could get your help carrying my bags . . ."

Edwin laughed. "Sure thing, mi lady." He grabbed the bags from the back seat and they both headed into the house.

At dinner, Derek noticed that something was different between Casey and Edwin. They were cracking jokes (more than usual) and almost flirting with each other. Derek scanned the table to see if anyone else noticed, but of course, no one did. Sally had somehow invited herself over again and was engaged in a discussion with Nora about something, while Marti and Lizzie were chatting away. Derek glanced at his dad. He, of course, was oblivious to anything and everything except his food. Derek smirked. 'Nothing changes'. His attention turned back to Casey and his brother. 'Well, maybe some things change . . .'

Casey felt Derek's eyes on her during dinner and ignored it. She was preoccupied with Edwin at the moment. Why was her heart beating so fast all of sudden? What was wrong with her? She hadn't forgotten her boyfriend, but it seemed like he had forgotten her. After things had started out so promising . . . well, she wasn't ready to give up on that relationship yet, but she _was_ enjoying her mild flirtation with Edwin. 'He is so adorable!' Casey thought to herself. She loved his hair and the way it looked now that it was longer. His tan, his body, his eyes . . . she could go on and on. 'This is dangerous territory, McDonald', her angelic self said. 'You bet it is, and that's exactly the way we like it!' her devilish self countered.

Casey smirked and continued her discussion with Edwin while Derek's eyes burned holes in her. 'Let Sally deal with him, she's fricken over here all the time anyway.' Casey thought immaturely.

Derek was getting increasingly agitated. Casey and Edwin were flirting with each other in front of him, Sally was driving him up the wall, and on top of that, he didn't know what the hell he was eating! George had created some new "masterpiece" and refused to tell anyone what was in it. Derek was so hungry at the time that he didn't care, but now that he'd had a few bites, he thought he felt a case of indigestion coming on. Or it could be from watching Casey and Ed . . .

Derek was going to have a little talk with Edwin as soon as possible.

After dinner, Sally had dragged Derek up to his room and was attempting to seduce him. As soon as the door shut, she pushed Derek onto the bed and straddled him. "What should we do now?" She asked, smiling.

Derek was torn between wanting to just her give what she so obviously wanted and . . . _he wasn't going to go there_. "Sal, you know the rules. I can't have my door shut if I have a girl over." He tried to push Sally off his lap, but she was having none of it.

Sally stuck out her bottom lip. "Derek . . ." she whined. 'Oh god,' thought Derek, 'it's Kendra all over again.' Sally continued. "You never want to do what I want to do." Her hand was rubbing his leg, moving toward his crotch.

"And what is it that you want to do?" Derek asked.

Sally leaned forward and stopped an inch from Derek's lips. "You know what I want, Derek. And I don't understand why you don't want it too. Remember when you were chasing me? It wasn't that long ago." She stopped and leaned back, realization dawning in her eyes. "That's it, isn't it?"

Derek was confused. "What are you talking about?"

Sally jumped on her idea and ran with it. "Now that I'm available, you don't want me anymore. It's all about the chase with you, isn't it? I'm with Patrick and you find me irresistible. Patrick dumps me and I'm used goods, right?" She got up and smoothed down her clothes, going to the mirror and straightening her hair with her fingers. "Well, as much as I want things to progress with you, I will not be treated like that." Sally went to leave.

Derek hopped up and blocked the door. "Sally, wait. You've got it all wrong." Actually he thought maybe she was a little right. But for all the time he spent bitching about how annoying Sally was, Derek wasn't ready to let her walk away. He needed her. "Sal, look." He put on his "sensitive guy" face, "I just don't want to get hurt, OK? I mean, you haven't been broken up with Patrick for that long, and I don't want to rush into anything. You mean too much to me for us to screw things up." Man, he was laying it on thick. He _did_ care about Sally, just not as much as she cared for him. He guessed that made him a bastard, but he already knew that.

Sally's expression softened and she moved forward to throw her arms around him. "Oh Derek, I'm sorry. I guess I've been a little pushy lately. I hope I haven't been too annoying?" She smiled sweetly at him.

'Damn women and their pouty faces!' Derek thought. He smiled back. "Nah, it's no big deal." He hugged her back and they left his room to go watch a movie.

Derek and Sally descended the stairs and found Casey and Edwin sitting closely on the couch, leaning toward each other and talking quietly. This bothered Derek immensely. "Hey!" he almost yelled.

Casey and Edwin jumped and they both turned their heads toward him. "Dude, you scared the crap out of me!" Edwin said, annoyed.

Derek ignored Edwin, his eyes fixed on Casey. She stared back then dismissed him by turning back around. Derek inwardly growled. 'What was her problem? She's all nice to me when she wants me to cover for her or when she needs help, but the rest of the time, she's a total bitch.' Derek was positively fuming now.

Derek struggled to appear calm. "I was just wondering what you guys are watching, because Sally and I wanted to watch a movie." Sally moved next to him and threaded her arm through his. "Watching anything interesting?" she added.

Edwin had turned back around and shared a secret smile with Casey. "Nah, you guys can watch whatever you want."

Derek rounded the couch and sat next to Casey. "Great, now move over, we need room." He grabbed Sally's hand and practically hauled her onto his lap. She giggled and buried her face in his neck, jostling to get comfortable between him and the arm of the couch.

Edwin and Casey scowled and moved over. "Hey Ed, why don't you make us some popcorn, eh?" Derek said condescendingly. Edwin sighed and got up. "Sure thing, bro." He moved to enter the kitchen.

"Ed, I'll help you and get some drinks." Casey rose and followed Edwin into the kitchen. She didn't like when Derek was like this. It was not attractive to her.

Derek sat on the couch with Sally, who was oblivious to Derek's fury. She was leaning on him, her hand in his and her head against his chest, looking like everything in the world was perfect. Derek was barely able to contain himself. He couldn't wait to get rid of Sally and corner Ed about what was going on between him and Casey.

He heard laughter from the kitchen and couldn't take it anymore. He moved to get up and Sally moved off of him. "Sal, I'll be back in a sec." He didn't wait for her response.

He entered the kitchen to find Casey and Edwin standing together, Casey leaning up to get a bowl on the top shelf and Edwin behind her, also reaching for the bowl. If Derek didn't know better, he'd have thought that Edwin was trying to make a move on Casey. "What's taking so long?" Derek's voice boomed.

Casey and Edwin sprang apart. "Damn it, Derek. What's with you and all the sneaking around? Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" Casey said angrily.

"No, princess, Sally and I are just wondering when the hell we can expect the popcorn and drinks." He shot back.

'_Sally and I, Sally and I,_' Casey was ready to explode. "Well, you and _Sally_ will just have to wait a little longer." Casey snarled. Meanwhile, Edwin watched from the sidelines, puzzled by the animosity between Derek and Casey.

Derek and Casey faced off, staring intently at each other until Edwin cleared his throat. "Ahem." They both whipped their heads toward him, matching expressions of surprise like they had forgotten he was there.

Derek shrugged. "Whatever. Just hurry it up." He turned and went back into the living room.

Casey made a frustrated sound and stomped to the refrigerator. "Let's get this shit out there before he throws an even bigger tantrum."

Edwin said nothing and followed Casey out of the room.

The rest of the evening was tense, to say the least, with stony looks passing between Derek and Casey and Edwin confused by it all. Sally was somewhat aware of the tension, but she was too into Derek for it to affect her that much. This, of course, irritated Casey even more, and she in turn, snapped at Derek more. And Edwin? Well, he just couldn't wait for the night to end . . .

**Review please!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Note: **OK folks. The story takes another 180-degree turn. This story arc is so long I decided to break it up into two parts, hence the title. And please, don't try this at home. Or if you do, I don't want to know about it. :)

**Chapter Sixteen: Lessons I**

A lot was going on in Casey's life. She and Ashley were becoming closer every time they hung out together. Casey found out that, yes, Ashley is half-Hispanic on her mother's side, and the reason she strips for a living is that she's saving money to open up her own interior design business someday. As she explained to Casey recently, "Look, I've had all sorts of jobs: hostess, sales clerk, waitress . . . but none of them pays like stripping. I work a five-hour shift, and can make as much as 800. There's no comparison. It's not like I'm a prostitute. The guys I dance for can't touch me, and the security we have at the club is second-to-none. It keeps the psychos away." She paused. "I've got a plan. I only need to strip for a few more years, and then I should be set."

Casey couldn't help but be impressed. Finally someone who understood the value of working hard and planning. It was almost as if she had found her other half. This thought always made Casey smile.

On another front, Derek wasn't speaking to her much since their falling out days earlier. On one hand, she was still angry and had no intention of speaking with him. On the other hand, she missed him terribly and wanted to run and apologize to him so they could be buddies again. She missed how they used to laugh together.

Brett was coming around a little bit more now that the job he was working was over. He apologized for being distant and said he had a lot going on and he didn't mean to take it out on her. Casey had accepted his apology and they were back on track.

Casey and Edwin were hanging out quite a bit; Casey figuring that she was trying to fill the hole of not having Derek around. However, she enjoyed Edwin on his own merits – he was always so sweet to her, he obviously thought the world of her, and that made her feel good.

On this day, Casey had gotten off work and was heading to Ashley's to hang out – again. Casey had kept Ash filled in on the goings-on at home and with Brett, and Ashley always had advice on how to handle everything. They had already covered the blowjob issue, with Ashley demonstrating on the dildo how to work your mouth over it in conjunction with your hands to give the guy maximum pleasure. Casey had been embarrassed at first watching her friend give head to a big purple dildo, but Ashley made everything so fun and comfortable that she had gotten over it. They had also watched a porno (Casey's first) that had a lot of BJ action in it, with Ashley running commentary over the action in the film. She and Casey had laughed hysterically at the "plot" and music in the flick, but Casey had come away with some real knowledge that she was hoping to put to good use sometime soon.

Ashley also took Casey's goal of changing her life seriously. She gave Casey tips like: "Never beg a guy for anything. You make _him_ beg," and "If you want to start fooling around you have to be responsible." Which, in and of itself, made Casey laugh. 'Fooling around' and 'be responsible' never seemed to go together before.

Casey was amused, but stopped when she saw the serious look on Ash's face. "Case, I'm not trying to be your mom here, but you need to protect yourself. You cannot count on a guy to be thinking of protection in the heat of the moment. That's just asking for trouble." Casey had a feeling there was a story behind that statement, but she didn't ask. She was sure it would come out sooner or later with how close they were becoming.

Consequently, Ashley had accompanied Casey down to the clinic to get examined and prescribed birth control pills. She also introduced her to an establishment called "Priscilla's", which was basically a sex shop that sold videos, clothing, sex toys and games – anything having to do with sex. Casey had been freaked when Ashley told her they were going there, and she insisted on wearing one of Ash's wigs that she owned for work. I mean, how horrifying would it be if she were to be caught in a place like that? Of course, it would probably be horrifying for the other person, too. She had a brief flash of running into her principal, Mr. Lassiter, there or something . . . ewwwwww.

While they were there, they perused the aisle where the vibrators and dildos were. Upon hearing of Casey's frustration and need to masturbate all the time, she suggested getting something a bit more "substantial" than just using her fingers. Which is how they ended up comparing sizes, shapes, colors, textures, and costs of vibrators. Casey couldn't believe that the prices of those things could be so high! She came across one that was over 60! 'I don't think so.' She thought.

After much giggling and discussion, Casey decided on a moderately sized vibrator with a ribbed texture and three speed settings on it. She also liked it because it was her favorite color – hot pink. Ashley picked up some lotions and a couple of boxes of condoms before they left. Casey wondered what for since she knew Ashley was between guys at the moment.

And the last thing that she couldn't believe she let Ashley talk her into – a Brazilian wax.

_They were hanging out in Ash's apartment and she had just gotten out of the shower. Ashley had a towel around her and went into her room to dress. She left her door open and Casey just happened to catch a glimpse of her totally naked. Sure, by now Casey had seen Ash's breasts plenty of times due to her lack of modesty, but this was the first time she had seen her down below. She gasped when she realized that she was totally bare – no hair at all between her legs. "Ash! I can't believe you do that Brazilian thing between your legs!" _

_This made Ashley laugh uproariously. "Brazilian thing between my legs? You mean a Brazilian wax?" _

"_Yeah, yeah, you know what I meant." Casey said laughing._

"_Well, is it really so shocking with what I do for a living? I mean, no guy wants to see a stripper with a big bush down there. They want to see it __all__." She smirked, slipping on her underwear._

_Casey cringed. "It must have hurt like a bitch." She didn't think she could ever do that._

"_Well, you get used to it, like plucking your eyebrows or waxing your lip. Of course, it's a little different, but you know what I mean." She smiled._

"_So guys are really into that, huh?" Casey wondered if Brett would be into that._

"_Well, that's been my experience. I mean, no doubt there are men out there who like their women hairy, but would __you__ want to be with them?" Ashley said, pulling a shirt over her head. As usual, she went bra-less. Suddenly her eyes lit up. "Hey! Why don't I take you to get one? It'll be great!"_

_Casey was nervous. "Uh, I don't think so, Ash. Thanks anyway, though." The thought of someone putting wax down there and pulling out her hair made her want to run for the hills._

"_Case, I know a guy," – Ashley was always saying that – 'I know a guy' – "He's the best in the business. He'll make it as painless as possible." She smiled encouragingly. "Come on, I'll even get a touch-up on mine so you won't have all the fun." _

_Casey found it hard to say no to Ashley. Funny, that was the same problem she had with Derek too. Casey was still very nervous and apprehensive, and of course, Ashley had a solution. She went into the bathroom and returned with half a pill in her palm. "Here, take this." She motioned for Casey to take it. "It will help you relax, and you won't feel the sting quite as much."_

_Casey eyed it wearily. "What is it?"_

"_It's Xanax. I take it sometimes," Ashley paused, "I have a prescription, and it really helps." There was still so much to learn about her friend_,_ but Casey didn't press it. _

"_I'm scared." Casey said softly._

_Ashley knelt down in front of Casey and took her hand. "Case, I would never do anything to hurt you, you know that, right? Do you trust me?" She looked deeply into Casey's eyes._

"_Yes, I trust you." Casey put the pill in her mouth and grabbed her drink, throwing it down her throat. She smiled at Ashley and pulled her on the couch for a hug._

"_Great. Now we have to wait a bit for it to take effect. In the meantime, I'm gonna call Rudy and set something up." She rose and headed for her cell phone on the end table._

"_How do you know we'll be able to get in today?" Casey asked._

"_Rudy and I go way back. He always makes time for me." Ashley said confidently. "Don't you worry about it."_

_And so it happened that Ashley did get an appointment for herself and Casey, and together they headed a couple of blocks down the road from Ashley's apartment complex to a strip mall. The place Ashley led them into was a non-descript storefront, with no sign out front. When they walked in, there was a plain white countertop where a young Asian girl sat. Upon seeing Ashley, she nodded her head to the back to signal that's where they needed to go. Ashley smiled at her and led Casey down a somewhat dark hallway and into a room at the end. Once inside, she introduced Casey to Rudy, a well-built, but short guy with dark hair and a mustache. He had piercing dark eyes, however he was all smiles. Casey was glad that she wasn't there alone. He proceeded to tell Casey to get undressed from the waist down and lay on the table. He didn't seem fazed by anything and was all business. This put Casey a little more at ease. When Casey was ready, Ashley had stayed in the room and held her hand. And she was right, taking the Xanax beforehand really helped keep her calm. She felt the sting, but barely jumped. She could tell Rudy was impressed._

_Later, at the apartment, Ashley had taken care of Casey by removing her shorts and underwear and fixing up a bag of ice wrapped in a towel to put on the area. "It will help keep the swelling down." She had said. Casey, still zoning from the pill, had said nothing and just laid there on the couch. A while later, Ashley had removed the ice pack and rubbed Aloe over the area, moving her fingers gently over the skin between her legs, then slipped a clean pair of her own underwear onto Casey. _

"_There," Ashley said, draping a blanket over Casey. "Get some rest for a bit before you have to go home. Trust me, you will love this when you're more awake to enjoy it." She leaned down and gave Casey a kiss on the forehead before heading into the kitchen. Later at home, Casey stood in front of her full-length mirror examining herself. It was weird to see that area without any hair on it. She would have to get used to it, and of course, it wouldn't look so weird when the redness and slight swelling went away. She smoothed her fingers over it . . . she could definitely get used to this. She smiled to herself._

Snapping back to the present, she arrived at Ash's apartment – the building was a dump, but Ashley kept it nice inside – and parked in front. She looked around before exiting the car, always on alert for someone to jump out and try to accost her. She ran across the grass and pressed the button for Ash's place. "That you, Case?" Ash's voice sounded through the speaker.

"Yep. Let me in, woman." said Casey. She was getting more nervous every second she stood out there by herself. BZZZZZZZZ. The sound of the door buzzing made Casey jump and she threw the door open and dashed inside. Ashley lived on the second floor, but the elevator rarely worked, so Casey took the stairs two at a time. By the time she reached Ash's door, she was out of breath. She knocked and waited for the door to open.

A minute later, Ashley opened the door and pulled Casey in, giving her a big hug. "Hey girl! How goes it? Gee, it's been forever since I saw you. What is it? A day?" She laughed and stepped back. The TV was on loud and whatever Ashley had been watching had Val Kilmer in it, she noticed. Casey thought she detected the faint odor of marijuana and looked at Ashley. Her eyes didn't look red, but she knew that Ash occasionally smoked pot. However, she didn't think she would do it before work, that would be unprofessional, and Ashley was, if nothing, very professional when it came to her work.

They sat down on the couch and started chatting about things, their topics varying widely like usual. Casey, of course, had something on her mind again, and she knew that Ashley would know what to do or have the answer Casey needed.

"Ash, I have to tell you something." Casey said, looking at her hands. Her cuticles weren't in the best of shape.

"Shoot, babe." Ashley smiled and squeezed Casey's hand.

Casey smiled back. "Well, ever since I got the wax thingy," she gestured between her legs, "I've been thinking a lot about going all the way with Brett. I mean, why go through it if my own boyfriend can't enjoy it, right?" She laughed half-heartedly.

Ashley picked up on her discomfort. "Yeah . . . go on." She turned to face Casey, but kept her hand on Casey's.

Casey squeezed it. "Well, I gotta tell you, and I know you won't laugh, but I'm scared." She paused, "of sex," another pause, "that it will hurt." She breathed deeply feeling relieved that she got it out.

She chanced a look at Ashley, who was looking at her with sympathy. "Oh honey, don't be embarrassed about that. Every girl feels like that, and if they say they don't, they're lying."

This made Casey feel a bit better. "Really? I mean, I know there's been fingers in there, but a penis . . . well, I just keep hearing how painful it is and there's supposedly bleeding . . ." Casey shuddered just thinking about it.

Ashley sat silent for a moment, rubbing her thumb over Casey's hand. "I take it that you haven't used your new vibe yet."

Casey looked embarrassed. "No. I've been too . . . well, like I said. I'm scared."

For all her experimentation and vows to change her life, Casey felt stupid to realize that she was just a scared girl. She glanced at Ashley, instantly feeling comforted by the look she found on her face. She was so glad that she had come to know her.

"Do you want me to help you?" Ashley said so quietly that Casey almost didn't hear her.

Casey was confused. "How . . . how would you do that?"

Ashley released Casey's hand and got up. Wordlessly, she disappeared into her bedroom and came out with something in her hand. Casey's eyes widened when she realized that it was a red vibrator, smaller than the one Ashley called "Mr. Big." "Ashley?" Casey's heart started beating faster. "Are you suggesting . . .?" She couldn't breathe.

Ashley sat down next to Casey with the vibrator in her hand. "Well, if you're too scared to do it yourself . . . I could help you." She paused, "But only if you want me to. I don't want to make you do anything that makes you uncomfortable. It's whatever you want, Case."

Casey swallowed. She was at a loss for words. Was there no end to what Ashley would do for her? Casey realized that she had come to rely on Ashley quite a bit, and she hadn't let her down yet. "What would you do?" She could hardly get the words out.

"Well, first," Ashley stopped and rose, heading to the kitchen. She came back with two shot glasses and a bottle of Captain Morgan. She poured the shots and raised one of the glasses. "Here, drink this."

Casey looked at Ashley, then the glass, before taking it and throwing it back. The liquor burned her throat and she coughed a bit. Ashley picked up the other glass and handed it to her. "Now this." Casey's eyes widened, but she took it and followed Ashley's orders, drinking that one also.

Casey shuddered with the feeling of the rum making its way down. She leaned back against the couch and closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them to find Ashley looking at her. She reached her hand out, "Follow me."

Casey took Ashley's hand and followed her into Ash's bedroom, which was painted red, very boudoir-like. There were gauzy curtains on the windows and the light from the fading day was coming through. "Sit on the bed, hon." Ashley said while closing the shade and curtain. She turned to face Casey. "OK. This is what I want you to do. I want you to lie back and close your eyes. I want you to think about something that arouses you – whatever it is you think about when you masturbate – think of that. As much as you can, pretend that you're in your room by yourself – I want you to be comfortable, OK? Can you do that?"

Sitting on the edge of Ashley's bed, hearing her friend say those things to her, and feeling the affects of the rum in her body, Casey thought she might have entered another dimension. 'This couldn't be happening, could it?' She thought hazily. But she knew that it was happening, and she had a friend who was willing to help her with anything – even the most private of things – and this made Casey happy. She nodded mutely at Ashley and lay back on the bed, closing her eyes. She heard Ashley approach. "I'm going to leave you alone for a bit, but I'll be back. Don't think about that, though, just retreat into your mind." With that, she left the room, quietly closing the door behind her.

**Review please!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Note:** **OK. Will someone tell me how to put in dollar signs? I had them in my original document, and when I posted the last chapter, they were gone. Anyone who can help me with this will be on my "you rock!" list. ******

**Chapter Seventeen: Lessons II**

**Previously:** _Sitting on the edge of Ashley's bed, hearing her friend say those things to her and feeling the affects of the rum in her body, Casey thought she might have entered another dimension. 'This couldn't be happening, could it?' She thought hazily. But she knew that it was happening, and she had a friend who was willing to help her with anything – even the most private of things – and this made Casey happy. She nodded mutely at Ashley and lay back on the bed, closing her eyes. She heard Ashley approach. "I'm going to leave you alone for a bit, but I'll be back. Don't think about that, though, just retreat into your mind." With that, she left the room, quietly closing the door behind her._

Casey laid on the bed, her hands at her sides. Her eyes closed, she pictured Brett's face, his eyes – the striking blue of them – and his dark hair. She pictured his smile and his straight white teeth. The dimple in his left cheek when he grinned at her. Casey felt her hands move to undo her shorts. The button came loose and the zipper came down. She moved her hand into her panties and felt the smoothness of her newly waxed skin. She found her clit and started to lightly rub it, moving in small circles. Casey continued to picture Brett in her mind, the smoothness of his skin, his flat abdomen . . . they were on a picnic in a park. The sun was shining and the wind was lightly blowing. They were under a tree, sitting on a blanket. Brett was kissing her sweetly, their lips moving together, tongues darting out to meet and taste each other . . .

In her fantasy, Brett's lips moved from hers and went to her neck, his hand buried in her hair, his breath moving across her skin. His mouth on the move, now it was at her earlobe, his teeth lightly nipping at the skin there. _'Casey, you are so beautiful, I want to be with you forever . . ."_ Casey jerked on the bed as she continued to rub herself. It wasn't Brett's voice in her fantasy, it was Edwin's.

Casey's eyes snapped open, but her hand continued to move, faster now. Her breathing picked up, she licked her lips and closed her eyes again. The scene in her mind changed. She pictured a room . . . it was night . . . the window was open to let in the summer night air . . . curtains lightly blowing from the breeze . . . moonlight shining in . . . illuminating the floor. She was like an observer, standing at the entrance of the room, watching. The moonlight uncovering something . . . movement on a bed. A woman's back, skin bright in the moonlight. She was sitting up, back to the door, her dark hair tumbling down. The rustle of the sheets, nothing to be heard but that and breathing. A slight moan, whispers between two people . . . Casey moved closer to the bed. The woman was straddling a man. He was on his back, his hands on the woman's thighs, rubbing her skin, his bare chest glistening with sweat. His eyes were fixated on the woman's as she moved on him, breasts moving as she rode him slowly . . . his hands moving now from her thighs, over her waist, up to her breasts, gathering them in his hands, squeezing, his thumbs teasing the nipples. A moan coming from the woman, her back arching as she picked up speed . . . Casey moved closer, almost next to the bed now, her eyes adjusting in the darkness, a shift of movement, the moonlight illuminating the faces of . . . herself and Derek.

In Ashley's bedroom, Casey lay on the bed, her hand moving quickly, her breathing quick. Somehow during this, she had kicked off her shorts and panties and lay bare from the waist down.

She was close, but she needed more. The scene changed again, no romance now, nothing but rutting, sweaty bodies, moving together toward completion. Scratching skin, hair being pulled, fingers leaving bruises. Casey felt her orgasm rock through her, her fingers stilling, trying to catch her breath.

Casey took her hand away and opened her eyes, staring at the ceiling. Her heart was still beating fast and a sheen of sweat covered her skin. She became aware of eyes on her and turned her head. Ashley sat on her vanity stool close to the bed watching, the red vibrator in her hand. When she noticed Casey watching her, Ashley rose and sat on the bed, grasping Casey's hand. Her other hand placed the tool on the bed and moved down the skin of Casey's arm, heading downward, making her shiver. "Close your eyes." Ashley's soft voice said. Casey didn't question it, she just followed along, her body boneless from her orgasm.

She felt Ashley's hand gently part her legs, and Casey's breath caught when she felt the tip of the vibrator at her entrance. She felt her legs stiffen up and her breathing increased. "Just relax," she heard Ash's calm voice at her ear. Casey immediately calmed and her legs relaxed. "OK, I'm going to go slow. If you feel any discomfort let me know." Ash said.

Casey simply nodded, her eyes still closed. Ashley pushed the vibrator into Casey a little at a time. First an inch, then back out, then in again, each time a little farther. Ashley must have slicked the vibrator with something, because it had no trouble going in. "Are you OK?" Ashley asked Casey.

"Yes, keep going." Casey's voice was a whisper. She felt Ashley's hand gently rubbing her arm and this made her feel better.

Ashley had it almost all the way in now, and Casey felt pressure in her abdomen. "Keep your muscles calm. Breathe deep and slow." Ashley said. Casey did what she said and immediately the pressure lessened. "OK, hon, it's in."

Casey's eyes snapped open. She looked below and saw that Ashley was right. The vibrator was all the way in, Ashley holding it by the base. "See? Not so bad, right?"

"No, not so bad." Casey smiled. She owed Ashley big time.

"Do you want me to turn it on?" Ashley asked, a soft smile on her lips.

Casey looked into Ashley's eyes. "Yes, I do." She didn't smile.

Ashley's face grew serious. "If that's what you want." She flipped the switch and Casey felt the vibration deep inside. She jumped a bit and closed her eyes. Ashley added some movement and Casey felt another wave of arousal hit her. "Ohhhhh," she let out.

Ashley's hand had moved to her hip and lightly caressed the skin there. She moved the vibrator in and out, upping the vibration when it became apparent that Casey liked what Ashley was doing.

Casey was panting, her hand bunched in Ashley's bedspread, hips slightly rising off the bed. Ashley continued moving the vibrator in and out, even swirling it a bit to change it up. "Oh god, oh oh oh," Casey was chanting now. She felt another orgasm approaching and bent her legs and opened them wider for better access. Her other hand rested on Ashley's, which was still on Casey's hip. "Fuck!" Casey's orgasm ripped through her and she was practically humping the vibrator now.

As the shocks subsided, Casey opened her eyes and looked at Ashley, her eyes shining with gratitude. Ashley slowly moved the vibrator out of Casey and set it on the bedside table. They stared at each other for awhile until Casey grabbed Ashley's hand and pulled her on the bed. "Thank you so much, Ash. What you did . . ." Casey was at a loss for words. She was feeling pretty emotional; she figured it must be from all the powerful orgasms. Casey had never felt closer to anyone in her life. Ashley settled herself in next to Casey on the bed and turned on her side so they were face to face. Casey lifted her hand and brushed a lock of hair out of Ashley's face. "You are my best friend, Ash. I hope you know how much this means to me." Casey paused, then continued. "I love you." With that, Casey buried her face in Ashley's neck and threw her arms around her.

Ashley wrapped her arms around Casey and smiled. "You're _my_ best friend. And I love you too." They stayed like that for awhile until it was time for Ash to get ready for her shift at the club. Casey had expected things to be awkward, but they weren't. The girls joked and talked like everything was normal. And it was, Casey realized. She had found the best friend she's ever had, someone who knew her better than anyone else and still liked her. Casey had found her soul mate – it just happened to be another woman.

When it was time to leave, they walked out together. And before they parted ways, they hugged and Casey gave Ashley a kiss on the cheek. Her way of saying 'Thank you' again.

Casey drove home feeling like she was not the same person she was a few hours ago. Everything in her life was different. And there was no going back now, nor did she want to go back. She looked toward the future with her hopes higher than ever, and now she knew that she would never truly be alone. Not when she had Ashley in her life.

She smiled all the way home.

**Review please!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but a radio with dead batteries.

**Chapter Eighteen: Denial**

Derek was looking for Edwin – again. He thought Edwin was avoiding him because Derek hadn't seen him for three days except in passing. Derek still wanted to speak to him about what _he_ perceived to be something going on between Casey and Edwin.

Casey hadn't been around much either, and Derek wouldn't ask her anyway because presently they weren't on speaking terms.

Derek was ruminating on this when the back door opened and in walked – who else – Edwin. Derek's eyes narrowed, and a predatory look came over his face. Edwin wasn't getting away so easy this time. "Hey Ed." Derek said casually.

Edwin flinched when he realized that Derek was standing there. "Oh, hey Derek. What's up?" He didn't stop to wait for an answer, but continued on up the stairs. Derek followed closely on his heels.

"So, where you been lately, Ed? I've hardly seen you around." He followed Edwin into his room. Edwin dropped his duffel bag on the floor and whipped off his shoes. He sat down on the edge of his bed and looked up at Derek. "Why are you so interested in what I'm doing and where I'm going?"

Derek leaned against Edwin's dresser, his arms crossed. "You're my brother, why wouldn't I be interested?"

Edwin snorted. "Yeah, right, Derek. What do you _really_ want?" He scrubbed a hand over his face. Derek noticed he looked tired.

"Is there something you want to tell me?" Derek stared hard at Edwin, who was looking back at him with a confused look on his face.

"What are you babbling about?" Edwin asked impatiently. He was tired and just wanted to go to bed.

"The other night . . ." Derek said, "You and Casey . . .?"

Edwin just stared at him.

Derek huffed in annoyance. "When Sally was over and we were all having dinner . . . You and Casey were openly flirting with each other! Did you think no one would notice?" Derek's voice rose louder.

"Derek, you've lost it, man. I don't know what the hell you're talking about, and frankly, I don't care. Now, can you please get out of my room so I can go to sleep?" He got up and shucked off his shirt.

Derek just stood there, staring at Edwin. 'Was I just imagining it? I don't think so.' He could go back and forth with Edwin all night about it and not get anywhere. Derek decided to let it go for now. But he would have his eye on them more in the future. "OK, Ed. You win. _For now_. But just know that no matter how much you pretend like it didn't happen, it did. And I _know_ it did." Derek turned and went downstairs to his own room. He hoped he didn't sound too paranoid, but he had a driving need to find out. He found himself needing to know everything if it involved Casey. 'Dammit! When did I start caring so much?' Derek slammed the door extra hard to his bedroom.

Edwin watched Derek leave and then sat down, blowing out a big breath. 'That was close.' He thought. 'I'm going to have to be a little less obvious about my feelings.' He looked at the clock. It was only 8:30 p.m., but he was exhausted. He turned out his lights and fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. He didn't dream.

His talk with Edwin did not put Derek at ease; plus he was still dealing with how to handle the Alex situation. He was aware of another party coming up on the weekend, and he wondered if Casey was planning on going. All Derek knew was that he was going to be there, and he was hoping to get evidence – preferably that proved that Brianna was a big fat liar. If it went the other way, he wasn't sure what he was going to do.

Casey walked in the front door feeling light on her feet. She couldn't keep the smile off her face. She toed off her shoes and joined Lizzie on the couch. "Hey sis, what's up?" She wrapped an arm around Liz and gave her a squeeze.

Lizzie tore her eyes away from the TV and gave Casey a look. "You're awfully chipper tonight."

Casey smiled wider. "I'm just happy. Can't your sister be happy without you being suspicious?" She said jokingly.

Lizzie laughed. "Uh, Case, I would have to say no on that one. No offense, but your middle name is Drama."

This made Casey laugh louder. "Oh Liz, you are so funny." She got up and headed for the kitchen.

Lizzie turned and looked after her. 'What the heck was that?'

In the kitchen, Casey encountered her mom, George and Marti sitting at the island eating ice cream. "Hello everyone," Casey said cheerily as she headed for the fridge. She opened it and grabbed a water. Twisting off the cap, she took a big sip and leaned against the counter. "How are you guys tonight?"

"I'm fine, thank you for asking," said Marti formally. Casey smiled warmly at her. 'Such a little adult!'

Nora and George looked at each other. "We're doing fine, honey. And you?" Nora asked, her eyebrow raised.

"I'm having a fabulous night." Casey said.

"Care to share?" asked George.

Casey realized she had to tone it down a bit. "Oh, I'm just really enjoying this summer so far, what with my job and meeting Brett. You know, the usual." She smiled at them. 'Time to extricate myself before they start grilling me.' "Well, I'm tired, so I'm heading upstairs. I think I'll read a bit before I turn in. Love you." She gave her mom a kiss on the cheek and squeezed George's arm before heading upstairs. Then she remembered: "Goodnight Marti!" She called from the stairs.

"Goodnight Casey!" Marti's sweet voice rang back. 'I really do have a great family.' thought Casey.

As she passed Derek's door, she stopped and listened for any movement. She knew he was home because she saw his shoes in the foyer when she arrived. She hovered there for a bit before getting up the nerve to knock.

A moment later, Derek opened his door and she found herself with nothing to say. They stared at each other for a moment before he spoke. "What do you want, Spaz?" His words held a sharp edge to them, nothing like their recent playful banter.

She winced, her good mood fading. "Can I come in?"

"So you can nag and snap and yell at me again? I don't think so." He went to shut the door in her face and she held out her hand to stop it.

"Derek, please?" Casey said pleadingly.

Derek stared at her for a moment before moving back to let her in. Casey smiled gratefully and walked past him into his room. He shut the door behind her and flopped on his bed. "Well?" He said expectantly.

Casey twisted her hands together. Why was she so nervous all of a sudden? "I wanted to apologize for the other night. I was a bitch and I shouldn't have acted that way." She glanced up from the floor to gauge Derek's reaction. He wasn't even looking at her, but staring off into space. "Derek, are you even listening to me?" Casey asked shrilly.

His eyes snapped back to her. "I'm listening. Is that all? Cuz I got things to do." He got up and opened the door, motioning for her to leave.

Her mouth opened then shut again. 'What the hell? I'm apologizing, when we _both_ know it was _both_ our faults, and he gives _me_ attitude?' That did it. "Derek, what is your problem? You know, you could apologize to me for the way you acted too. Ordering Edwin around like that. He's not your lackey anymore, in case you hadn't noticed." She was fuming.

Casey's mention of Edwin hit a sour note with Derek. "It's none of your business how I treat _my_ brother," Derek spit out. "And, even if I _did_ feel bad about treating him a certain way, I would apologize to him, not you." He added smugly.

Casey shot back, "He's my brother too, and it is my business if someone's treating him like shit. Even if it is my _other_ brother."

Derek got up and moved toward her. "That's right, Casey. He's your _brother_. I'm glad to hear that you haven't totally forgotten that."

Casey's eyes widened with surprise. "If there's something you want to say, just say it."

Derek sneered. "I just said it, sweetheart. And after your little display the other night at dinner, you need to be reminded of it."

Casey snorted. "Display? Just spit it out, you ass."

Derek was in her face now. "I'm talking about you and Edwin. God, are you that dense? You both act like I'm crazy, but I saw it with my own eyes. Don't deny it. There's something going on and it pisses me off that you think I'm too stupid to notice." He was breathing hard.

Casey went white. 'Derek talked to Edwin? I wonder what Edwin said . . .' Casey was torn. She didn't know what was going on between her and Ed, and she doubted Edwin knew either. So she was damn curious to find out what Edwin had said to Derek, although based on Derek's reaction, it sounded like he had denied everything, same as Casey.

"I think you're imagining things. And why do you care anyway? It's not like I'm your girlfriend or something." Casey said scornfully.

"You're right. You're not my girlfriend, you're my sister. _My sister_." Derek repeated. He seemed to deflate and he moved away. Casey tried to calm down as well. She could still fix this. They had come too far to fall back into their old ways of fighting. "Derek, I really don't want to fight with you." She swallowed and went out on a limb. "I really miss hanging out with you. We have a lot of fun together. I want that back." She couldn't look at him right now. Her pride was gone and she was baring herself to him, hoping against hope that he wouldn't ridicule her for it.

There was silence for a moment and Casey's heart fell. She didn't want to wait around for the insults, so she moved toward the door. "Just forget I said anything. If you're gonna be a jerk about it . . ."

Suddenly she felt Derek's hand grip her arm. He spun her around and pulled her to him, his arms wrapping around her. She stood there for a moment, not hugging back, just feeling their bodies together. She could feel Derek's hands rubbing her back and running through her hair. Slowly she raised her arms and wound them around his waist, squeezing him back for all she was worth. She buried her face in his neck and breathed in his scent. In spite of all her whining about how bad he reeked, he really did smell good.

"Does this mean we're friends again?" Casey asked, her voice muffled by his neck.

Derek moved back slightly, his hands on her arms. "Friends." He said with a smile. They stared at each other a moment before he became serious again. "But Case, if there were something going on, you would tell me, wouldn't you?" He asked hesitantly.

Casey thought for a moment. Would she? 'Hell no.' If his reaction to her and Edwin's flirting was this bad, she could just imagine his reaction to other, more serious things.

She took a page out of Derek's playbook and decided to lie. "Sure I would." She smiled and hoped that it convinced him. He searched her face for a moment before nodding slowly, apparently accepting her answer.

She dropped her arms from him and moved back. "Well, I'm beat. It's bedtime for me." She paused, "I'm really glad we made up. It's been driving me crazy that we've been fighting."

Derek smirked. "Well, I know how you hate to be apart from me for too long. You were bound to cave sooner or later." He laughed and ducked as Casey grabbed a pillow and tried to hit him with it.

"Goodnight Derek."

"Goodnight Case."

It wasn't until later that she realized he never apologized.

**Review please!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Note: If you are offended by graphic drug use and explicit sex, don't read this chapter. The story is taking an ominous turn. Also, just because you read it here does not mean that I'm advocating the behavior. Like I've said before: Don't try this at home.**

**Chapter Nineteen: The Mission**

It was Friday, and Derek was getting ready to hit Alex's party; his routine for doing so including finger-combing his hair and popping a breath mint.

He headed down the stairs, where he encountered the rest of the family watching a movie. "You headed out, son?" George asked him, eyes still on the TV.

Derek noticed that Casey was wearing her sleep pants and had no make-up on. It looked like she wasn't going anywhere tonight. He felt relieved. He also noticed that Casey and Edwin were sitting on opposite ends of the couch, Lizzie and Marti between them. 'Good.'

"Yeah, I'm hanging with Sam tonight. See ya." Derek said before heading out into the night.

Derek parked the Prince in front of Alex's house and weighed his course of action. He wanted to get in without being noticed by Alex, Brett or any other member of their crew. He slowly got out of the car and approached the house, casing the outside and examining the windows. He figured that if what Brianna said is true, the action would be happening in one of the upper bedrooms, which was almost impossible to get to from the outside. Derek walked closer to the side of the house. There was a trellis that ran up the side, but it looked pretty rickety, and he doubted that it would hold his weight. Besides, he needed a plan. What was he going to do? Climb up the side of the house and peep in? He needed proof. Just seeing it himself wasn't going to mean anything to Casey or anyone else. It would be his word against theirs. And as much as he wanted that to be enough for Casey, it just wasn't. It bothered him that he wasn't sure if Casey would take his word over Brett's. That's why he needed incontrovertible proof. Then, no matter how much Casey didn't like it, she would have no choice but to believe him if presented with it – no ifs, ands or buts.

'Think, Derek, think!' He paced the ground outside. Well, he really didn't need to be invisible; he just needed to play it casual. So what if Alex saw Derek there? Sure, they didn't like each other, but Alex never asked Derek to leave his parties, because, frankly, Derek had clout, and it just wouldn't be the "right" thing to do.

Brett was more of a problem than Alex. Derek wondered if Brett even told Casey about the party tonight. Derek found it hard to believe that he had, otherwise Casey would be here. This, of course, made Derek even more suspicious of Brett's involvement in Alex's alleged "activities".

Derek somehow needed to get into that room upstairs and find out once and for all.

He walked in the house and looked around. He didn't see Alex, Brett or any of their friends anywhere. However, the house was packed, as usual, and the party was in full swing.

Derek avoided the drinks; he needed a clear head tonight. He passed the girl he had fucked into the couch downstairs a few weeks ago. She was grinding up on some dude and looking for all the world like she was getting lucky again tonight. Derek snorted and continued moving. He made his way around the entire first floor, casually checking in each room for Alex or Brett. He didn't see them, and he figured that they must already be upstairs. First, though, he decided to check downstairs to eliminate that option.

He descended the stairs and entered the main room, which was used as a media room by the looks of it. There was a giant screen that covered one wall and a projector hanging from the ceiling on the other side of the room. There were plush leather chairs lined up in front of the screen, and small end tables with coasters on them, no doubt used to avoid the tell-tale ring from sweating beer bottles.

So far he was alone. He crept down the hall, feeling a little foolish. What if this was all a lie? He scoffed. Well, no one would have to know about this if it was. In fact, he hoped that it _was_ all a lie so he wouldn't have to tell Casey that her beloved boyfriend was a Grade-A scumbag who drugged chicks and then accosted them. Yeah, he would _love_ to avoid having that conversation.

He was in the hallway now, approaching the room where he got busy with the chick upstairs. The door was open and the room was dark. He continued stealthily down the hall, passing what looked like an office and then a bathroom. He came to a room at the very end of the hallway. The door was shut, but there was light coming from under it. He looked around before pressing his ear against the wood. He heard some muffled noises, but he couldn't make any of them out. He thought for a moment, then had an idea. He went back into the main room and quietly exited through the sliding glass door, being careful not to arouse attention. He then crept along the house to what he thought was the window of the room that was occupied. It was exactly at ground level, so he had to crouch. He stayed to the side of the window so as to not be seen.

He was in luck, the window was open to let in air, but there were blinds covering most the screen. There was a space of about six inches where he could see inside. He settled in and took in the scene. Well, he found Alex. He was on the bed, obviously fucking someone by the looks of his bare ass thrusting up and down. Derek winced. 'Gross. Ignore, ignore.' He chanted to himself. He was doing this for Casey. _For Casey._

Whoever the girl was, Derek couldn't tell because of the position of the bed. All he could see was her legs up in the air around Alex's rutting body and a glimpse of blonde hair. Derek's eyes scanned the room. _Interesting_ . . . in plain view, there was a tripod set up with a video camera attached to it. It was pointed at the bed and the red light was flashing, indicating that it was currently recording. 'Oh my god . . .' Derek almost busted up. 'How cheesy is that?' Derek was astounded at Alex's arrogance. Apparently he had no reservations about a tape getting out and his reputation being trashed. Derek knew that anytime you record anything it's bound to come out sooner or later. Whether it's nude photos or pictures on a MySpace page, it _always_ comes back to bite you in the ass later. Then again, Derek figured that if the tape were to come out, Alex's rep would probably soar; it would be the girl's reputation that would be shot.

Derek wouldn't deny that he himself was a player, and he didn't always treat girls the best, but he would never engage in any activity like that. The ensuing trouble wasn't worth the few minutes of excitement. Most people thought he was stupid and careless – he wasn't. In some things, he was very smart, cunning even. But they didn't need to know that. If they did, then more would be expected of him. He didn't need the aggravation of increased expectations.

Derek's eyes went back to the couple on the bed. 'Well, this looks like nothing more than two people getting it on.' He was relieved, and a little annoyed. 'I wasted my Friday night spying on dickhead Alex getting a piece from some slut. Oh well, it's all good, and I won't have to mention anything to Casey.'

He was turning to leave when he caught movement out of the corner of his eye. The door to what Derek guessed was the bathroom was opening. Derek stilled. Out walked a guy that Derek knew named Brad, followed by none other than Brett. Derek's stomach dropped. Both men were in jeans and nothing else.

'What the fuck is going on here?' Derek asked himself, but he was afraid he already knew the answer.

Alex and the unknown girl continued on as if nothing was wrong, not even pausing in their fucking. The girl was moaning and Derek thought she sounded like a dying cow. Alex was grunting and saying cheesy things like: "Fuck, babe, you are so hot," and "you like that, bitch?" Derek shook his head. He would definitely have to take a mental shower when he got home. Maybe popping in one of Marti's G-rated movies would do it.

He continued to watch as Brett and Brad stood on either side of the bed. They proceeded to unbutton their jeans and kick them off. Both stood in their boxers, stroking themselves through the material. 'This is twisted. Who does this?' Derek couldn't imagine doing that with, say, Sam. 'Awkward!'

Alex thrust a few more times into the girl and dismounted. Derek gasped. It was Amy. _Max's_ Amy. The girl Max dumped Casey for. She lay on the bed gasping. Derek squinted, trying to examine her face. Was she drugged? She didn't appear to be.

She pushed herself up and reached out to caress Brett through his boxers, grasping his length. She licked her lips and got on her knees, pushing his boxers down his legs. Leaning forward, she took Brett into her mouth, sucking him in deep. 'Damn! She must have no gag reflex!' Derek hadn't yet met a girl who could do that. He shook himself back to attention. Brett's head was thrown back and he grabbed Amy's head, fucking her mouth roughly. This didn't seem to faze her and she continued to work on him.

Meanwhile, Alex had pulled on his pants and had taken the camera off the tripod. He was now circling the bed and recording the action. He crouched down next to Brett to get a closer shot. "Suck him, bitch." Alex ordered Amy.

Derek blinked. He had the feeling that he had just stumbled on the tip of the iceberg. He was in deep, yet he didn't move. He felt his dick getting hard. He couldn't help it, he _was_ a guy. I mean, seeing a hot chick deep-throat someone . . . well, you just don't see that everyday.

Brett was forcing her mouth onto him and he came with a grunt, making Amy swallow it. "Drink it all, bitch." Alex's voice ordered. 'What was with him and the 'bitch' thing? Must be some kind of a power trip.' Derek always knew that Alex had control issues, which was one of the reasons why he disliked him so much. Alex was always trying to take control – of people, situations and things.

Brett pulled his dick out of Amy's mouth and pulled up his boxers, then his jeans. He then went back into the bathroom, shutting the door. Alex was still filming when Brad finished undressing and ordered Amy onto her hands and knees. She readily complied, her naked ass facing Derek. She _was_ beautiful, Derek acknowledged. But he knew from the brief, _and I mean brief_, time that they had dated, her beauty was only skin deep. Amy had to be one of the most annoying and exhausting girls that Derek had ever known. She made Casey look like a picnic by comparison.

Brad grabbed Amy's hips and forced her legs wider with his knee. He grabbed his dick and rubbed it along Amy's opening, making her moan. "Please . . ." her voice begged.

"Shut up." Brad ordered before slamming his cock into her. She squealed and pushed back onto him. He wasn't gentle, ramming himself in, their flesh slapping loudly. Derek could see the sweat rolling down Brad's back and was sickened. Alex continued to film, walking around the bed to get the best angles. Brad grabbed Amy's hair and whipped her head back, making her face the camera. Derek could see her grimace from where he was. Even if Amy was a slut, even if she wanted to be treated like that, it still bothered Derek. Maybe the years of living with the McDonald females had gotten to him after all.

Brad came loudly and pulled out, then wiped his brow with his hand. The bathroom door opened again and Brett appeared, wiping his hands and then his face with a small towel. He was fully dressed and looked ready to rejoin the party. Instead, he sat down on the couch and opened the top drawer of the small end table next to him. He pulled out a baggie of what looked like weed and then some rolling papers. He proceeded to start rolling a joint. Brad walked naked to the bathroom, shutting the door. Derek thought he heard the shower go on.

A noise in front of the house startled Derek and he tensed. It sounded like the party was spilling out into the front yard. He would have to leave soon, but he wanted to see what happened next. He wanted to know everything that these assholes were into.

Amy lay on her stomach for awhile not moving, until Alex went over to her and nudged her with his foot. "Hey. Get up." She hoisted herself up and slowly got dressed. She went to the mirror over the dresser and attempted to put herself back together. "I need to clean up a little," she said, trying to fix her hair, which was tangled and matted with sweat around her face. Her make-up was smeared and she just overall looked "used".

"Well, you can't use this bathroom, you'll have to find another one, which shouldn't be hard to find, considering we have five of them." Alex said haughtily as he turned off the camera.

'God, he's such a prick.' thought Derek. Amy was dressed and stood there like she was waiting for something.

"Well?" Amy said with her hands on her hips, "Do you have it?"

Alex snorted and went over to the same end table that Brett had gotten the weed out of. He produced another bag, this time filled with white powder. Amy got an eager look on her face and she went over to sit down next to Brett, who was taking a hit of his joint.

Alex crouched on the other side of the coffee table in front of Brett and Amy and pulled out a small mirror from another drawer. Alex shook some of the powder on it and then used a razor to cut the powder and divide it into lines. He then leaned over and grabbed a small straw and handed it to Amy who wasted no time in snorting the lines up her nose.

Derek was shocked. He had no idea that Amy was into drugs, and she was obviously using her body as payment to get high. 'Like some kind of prostitute,' Derek thought.

After she was finished, she pinched her nose and wiped away any residue. She stood up. "Thanks guys." Then she left without so much as a look back.

Derek continued to watch from his crouched position outside the window. Brad came out of the bathroom rubbing his wet hair with a towel. He was fully dressed. He joined the other two and they passed the joint around and snorted a few lines of the powder.

"So Brett," Alex's voice annoyed Derek to no end, "Where's your hot girlfriend tonight?"

Brett smirked. "She's at home, being the good little girl she is." They all laughed at that.

Brad spoke, "Man, that is one fine piece of ass you've got there. When you gonna share?"

Brett snorted a line and sat back. "I'm breaking her in, man. She's not experienced enough yet. Why do you think I didn't invite her? She's got a 'moral code' or whatever." He huffed a laugh.

"Well, just bring her again sometime and we can 'loosen her up'" said Alex jokingly. "I've been wanting a taste of her since I first laid eyes on her. Especially when I found out that she's Venturi's stepsister. Wouldn't it just drive him crazy to know that I nailed her?" Alex grinned cruelly.

Derek was enraged, his fists clenched, nails digging into his palms. He was going to kill Alex.

"Yeah, well, I get first dibs. You haven't been the one to put all the time into being the 'good boyfriend.' The girl's a cock-tease if there ever was one. First night I meet her, she's all over me. Ever since then, nothing. She doesn't even know how to suck dick right!"

'What?' Derek thought, his stomach sick. He wanted to punch his fist into Brett's face over and over again until it was nothing but a bloody pulp.

"Well, like I said, we can teach her." Alex said. "In fact, bring her by next week. I'm having a small get together – _real intimate_." Derek didn't like the sound of that, "Get a few glasses of my 'special drink' in her and she'll be all ready to party." They all laughed and Derek couldn't listen anymore. He got up and walked up the hill to the front yard, swiftly heading for his car. He got behind the wheel and sat there, trying to calm himself down.

He turned on the engine and sped home, angrier than he'd ever been in his life.

**Review please!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but a holey pair of nylons.

**Chapter Twenty: Calling in the Reinforcements**

The next few days were hectic for the whole McDonald/Venturi clan. Lizzie had soccer practice every morning, Marti was attending a summer reading group every afternoon, Edwin was in major training for the fall track season, which was only a few short weeks away, Casey was busy working and spending time with Brett and Ashley, and Derek was pulling lots of shifts at Smelly Nellie's and hanging with Sally.

In all this, though, Derek was preoccupied by the conversation he had heard between Alex, Brett and Brad. He had barely controlled his anger when he returned home that night. He went straight into his room and blasted his music, not answering when he heard George knocking on the door to turn it down.

Now, Derek was getting frantic. He was running out of time to do something before Alex's next "intimate gathering". He knew Casey was planning on going with Brett because he overheard her talking about it with him. Derek could _**not**_ let that happen.

He was on the couch playing Babe Raider, trying to get out his aggression and calm his nerves when Casey came down and sat next to him. "Hey Derek. How's the game going?"

"Fine." Derek said shortly, his fingers rapidly moving over the controller.

Casey looked at Derek. He didn't look right to her. There was something wrong, she just knew it. "Is everything OK?" she asked hesitantly. In the past, a question like that would usually result in a big blow-up between the two of them, and she hoped it would be different this time.

So Casey was in shock when Derek abandoned his game and turned off the TV, facing her on the couch. She didn't like the look in his eyes – a look of desperation, and worse yet, fear. Her stomach lurched. Oh god, it must be something really bad.

Derek sighed and gathered himself. "Case, have you ever found yourself in a situation where you knew something bad was going to happen but you didn't know what to do?"

Casey was relieved. This was a no-brainer. "That's easy, Derek. You do the right thing."

'I'm not expressing myself well here.' thought Derek. "No, you don't understand." He paused, then continued. "Say you overheard a conversation between some people. And they were talking about another person – about harming them." He blew out a breath impatiently. This was not coming out the way he wanted it to. He just couldn't tell Casey everything he had heard. She wouldn't believe him, he was sure of it. Not when she and Brett were all lovey-dovey again.

"I'm afraid I'm not following you." Casey looked confused. "Did you overhear someone say they were going to hurt someone else?"

"Yeah, I did. And I'm not sure what to do about it." Derek looked at Casey, then looked away.

"Well, it's like I said. You have to do something before that person gets hurt. If you were to do nothing, then it would bother you the rest of your life. You always say you have no conscience, but I know you do, especially after this conversation." Casey smiled softly at him.

"Yeah, yeah, another thing we can't let get made public." He grinned then got serious again. "I know all that, Case, I just don't know the best way to go about it, and that's what I'm struggling with." Even though he couldn't tell her everything, just telling her this little bit eased a burden off him. Maybe it was a sign of maturing, but it didn't feel so bad to admit that he was concerned about something. He never would have done that six months ago. 'Casey's rubbing off on me.'

"Derek." Casey's voice startled him out of his thought. "Come here." She grabbed his hand and pulled on his arm lightly to get him to move closer to her. He acquiesced and soon found himself in her arms for the second time in a few days. "See? I told you we would have that feel-good family moment someday." She laughed softly in his ear.

Derek closed his eyes and hugged her back. He could smell the fruitiness of her shampoo and it made him relax. Before he could get lost in her, she pulled back. "Do you need any help?" The concern was plain in her face and Derek was more determined than ever that no harm would come to Casey. Not at the hands of Alex, Brett, or anyone else. He realized something that had never occurred to him before: He would die to protect Casey, and he would kill anyone that threatened her safety. He knew it deep down, and strangely, he didn't have a problem with that.

"Hey guys, everything OK?" Nora's voice startled them apart. She must have entered the front door without either of them hearing her, because she was standing there in her business attire holding her briefcase. She looked mildly concerned, probably because she wasn't used to seeing Derek and Casey getting along, much less touching.

Casey fumbled for words. "Uh, yeah, hi mom. No, everything's OK. I was just . . ." She had nothing. For all the lying she had been doing recently, there wasn't a single excuse she could come up with to explain why she and Derek were so close.

"Nora, Casey here was just talking my ear off about her 'relationship problem'", Derek used his fingers for quote marks, "and she got all emotional and started blubbering on me. For the life of me, I can't think of why she would think that I care." Derek said smirking at Casey. His eyes told a different story, however, begging her to go along with him.

Casey followed his lead. "Well, if you weren't such a jerk all the time, you wouldn't have made me cry." Casey shot back.

"Now you listen . . ." Derek was getting into it now, pointing his finger in Casey's face.

"Enough!" Nora's voice boomed in the living room. "Here I thought that you two were finally getting over a hurdle and improving your relationship, but I guess I was wrong. And right now, I'm tired, hungry and my feet hurt, so if you'll excuse me, I'm not gonna hang around for the rest of the argument." With that, Nora headed into the kitchen and down the stairs to her room.

Casey and Derek looked at each other and smiled. Parents were _so_ easy.

After his conversation with Casey, Derek knew what he had to do. But he couldn't do it alone. He would need reinforcements. This would mean him having to swallow his pride, which he hated to do, but in a situation as serious as this, there was no other choice.

He trudged upstairs and knocked on the door, waiting for a response. 'Come on, come on," Derek said to himself. He was just about to knock again when the door opened and he was face to face with Edwin. "Yeah?" Edwin said rudely.

Derek scowled. He so didn't need Edwin's attitude right now. "Can I talk to you for a minute?" Derek made his voice remain calm. He was not here to fight.

Edwin stared at him for a moment before letting him in. "Sure."

Derek followed him in and sat down at Edwin's desk, turning the chair to face the bed, where Edwin had seated himself. "Did you come here to apologize?" Edwin asked, a smirk on his face. He knew he was pushing his luck with that one, but he just couldn't help himself.

Derek snorted. "Uh no. But I'm not here about that. This is serious, Ed. Bro to bro, I need your help." He looked into Edwin's eyes, trying to communicate the seriousness of what he was going to tell him.

Edwin's face got sober. "Derek, what is it? You're scaring me. You're not dying are you?" He was only half-kidding.

Derek didn't laugh. "No. It's about Casey."

Edwin's eyes widened, but he said nothing.

"Look, I overheard something the other night that I just can't let go by. I need to do something, but I can't do it alone. I know you care about Casey, in whatever form that takes, I don't care right now. But if we don't do something, she will end up getting hurt and I don't think either of us wants that, do you?" Derek paused and glanced at Edwin, whose face was a mixture of shock, fear and something else – anger.

"Derek. What are you talking about? Does someone want to hurt Casey? Stop beating around the bush and tell me what the hell you heard." Edwin said, clenching his fists on his lap.

With that, Derek proceeded to tell Edwin everything that had went on at the party, and everything that was said between Alex, Brett and Brad. During this time, Derek noticed that Edwin's face got darker and darker, his skin turning red, his eyes murderous. Derek had never seen Edwin look angrier, and that was good. Derek needed that. Edwin jumped up and paced the floor. "What the fuck? I knew Brett was a douche the first time I met him. We both did! I'm gonna kill that sonofabitch!" He was breathing hard and Derek was afraid he would start hyperventilating.

"Ed, calm down, OK? The last thing I need is for you to pass out. We're gonna need more help yet, so I'm gonna call Sam and Ralph and see if we can get together before the next party. Preferably tonight or tomorrow. Are you in?" Derek stared hard at Edwin. He needed him on board, and Derek was hoping that whatever Edwin felt for Casey would drive him to help Derek put Alex and his boys out of commission.

"You don't have to ask twice. Tell me what you want me to do and I'm there." Edwin said resolutely.

"That's what we need to figure out." Derek grinned grimly, "Let me go make some calls and I'll let you know what's up." He turned and went to leave. "Oh, and Ed?" Derek turned back toward his brother, who looked up at his name, "I'm sorry for being a prick the other day." He left before anything else could be said.

Meanwhile, Casey was hanging at Ashley's, oblivious to what was going on. They were embroiled in a game of Go Fish, which Casey was very close to winning. The radio was playing and the TV was on mute. Currently it was showing an old rerun of _Friends_.

The overhead lights were off and candles were lit everywhere. Ashley had made them both strawberry daiquiris and they were munching on popcorn. "Do you have a two?" Ashley asked, her mouth full of popcorn.

Casey laughed. "Gross, Ash. Didn't your mom ever teach you to keep your mouth closed while you're eating? And no, I don't have a two, go fish."

"Haven't you figured out by now that it's extremely hard for me to keep my mouth shut?" Ashley said snidely, taking a drink of her daiquiri.

"True dat." Casey said, looking at her cards. "OK. Do you have an eight?" She had two cards left, while Ashley had a whopping six left. She was _so_ gonna win this game.

Ashley rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, here's your damn eight." She said, tossing the card at Casey.

"Hey, watch it! You could give me a paper cut on my eyeball!" Casey was being overdramatic, but she just loved to rib Ashley. They were constantly picking at each other, kind of the way that Casey and Derek related to one another. 'That's interesting . . .' Casey thought.

They went back and forth until Casey won the game, at which time Ashley declared that she was never playing cards with Casey again. Casey laughed and jumped up to crank the radio. "I love this song!" she squealed.

They both started jumping around and dancing.

"_I'm not here for your entertainment; you don't really want to mess with me tonight;_

_Just stop and take a second; I was fine before you walked into my life . . ."_ Casey and Ashley were both singing along loudly now, jumping up and down and shaking the heads to the beat.

When the chorus came, they yelled at the top of their lungs: _"It's just you and ur hand tonight!"_

After the song ended, Casey and Ashley plopped down on the couch, trying to catch their breath. They looked at each other and started laughing. "You are so fun," Casey said.

Ashley's eyes beamed with happiness. "I'm glad you think so." She grabbed Casey's hand and they sat there and watched TV for the rest of the night until Ashley took Casey home.

**Review please!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer:** I got nothing.

**Chapter Twenty-One: The Strategy Session and The Stripper**

The next day, Derek, Edwin, Sam and Ralph were all sitting at Sam's place plotting their strategy. Derek had filled Sam and Ralph in on what was happening at Alex's parties, and they were both shocked. Sam was out for blood as the thought of someone hurting Casey made him want to bash their face in, and although Ralph wasn't really close to Casey, he was right on board with them. "Dude, that is so not cool." When told about the alleged assaults. Derek and Edwin decided to keep Amy's name out of it, figuring the girl already had enough problems.

They were in Sam's room with the door shut and locked, because Sam's little sister Elaine tended to walk in at the most inopportune times. They had gone over a series of scenarios and were brainstorming ways to catch the scumbags in the act. "So, I'm thinking that as much as I hate the idea, we're gonna have to let Casey go to that party." Derek was saying.

Edwin's head snapped toward Derek. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah, I mean, none of us are invited, and that would be our way in." Derek paused. "My problem is how we are going to get access to the evidence. I mean, we already know that they have some sort of sex-for-drugs operation going on, but I'm still not sure about the drugging-innocent-girls-and-then-assaulting-them part. I hate to say this, but I almost wish that they have been recording themselves on that part too; for proof, you know?" Derek rubbed his head. He was getting a headache.

Sam chimed in. "Dude, it's not like they're gonna have the tapes – if there even is any – right next to the family movies. I mean, the dickhead lives in a mansion. He's probably got them in a safe or something. And if he does, how are we supposed to get to them?"

Ralph was scratching his head, thinking about all that was being said. "Hey! I got an idea!" Everyone looked at him, waiting. He sat there for a moment, "I lost it."

Sam and Edwin groaned and Derek rolled his eyes. "Focus, Ralph. This is serious."

Ralph looked hurt. "Dude, I can't help it if I'm A.D.D.!"

They spent the next few hours brainstorming, bickering and hammering out their plan for the party, which was in two days. When they came up with something that everyone mostly agreed on, Derek and Edwin got up to leave. "Guys, no matter what happens, if we don't get the evidence to nail those assholes, the most important thing is to keep Casey from getting hurt. It would just be easier if we could expose what kind of guy Brett _really_ is so she can see it with her own eyes and be done with him."

Sam and Ralph agreed, nodding solemnly. "OK. We'll meet here at 8:30 then head over there. Cool?" Derek looked to everyone for affirmation. They all agreed.

It was all set. Derek just hoped that everything went as planned and no one got hurt.

But when did Derek's plans ever run smoothly?

Casey had just finished work and was walking home when a car pulled up next to her and the driver beeped the horn, making Casey jump about a mile in the air. She whipped around, prepared to start bitching someone out, when she noticed that it was Derek and Edwin in the Prince. "Der-rek!" she growled. The boys laughed and continued up the road.

Casey shook her head, but she couldn't stay mad for long. Not when Edwin was hanging out the passenger side window smiling and waving at her.

They were at dinner (no Sally for once!), and Nora and George were talking about baby names. They still didn't know what they were having, and they kept going back and forth on whether or not they wanted to find out. As usual, each member of the family had a different opinion.

"What about Daphne if it's a girl?" Marti asked.

Nora smiled. "Marti, wouldn't it be kind of confusing if we had two Daphnes in the house?" Nora was, of course, referring to Marti's invisible friend.

"No. That's why I suggested it! I thought it would be a nice thing if we could name the baby after her . . ." Marti trailed off when she saw the looks on everyone's faces. "Maybe not."

Lizzie chimed in. "Well, how about Lola? I've always loved that name."

Derek scowled. "Lola? That sounds like a stripper's name!" Edwin laughed.

Casey glared at Derek. "That is such a generalization! That strippers would have bimbo names? You know, they're people too, Derek; trying to pay their bills. They have goals, dreams . . ." She paused, noticing that everyone had stopped eating and was staring at her. "What?"

Nora spoke. "Well, Casey, I'm glad to see you sticking up for someone, but why strippers? I mean, there are other people more worthy of your indignation."

Casey looked down at her plate and said nothing.

Edwin spoke next. "Yeah, it seems to me that strippers are just people who take the easy way out to make money. They could get a job doing anything, but taking your clothes off, well, anyone can do that. It doesn't take any talent."

Casey's face was burning and she hoped no one noticed.

"What's a stripper?" Marti asked, chasing peas around her plate with a spoon.

George and Nora looked at each other with matching expressions of 'Oh great!'

Derek, Edwin and Lizzie cracked up, but Casey remained silent. "Can I be excused?" she asked.

Nora glanced at Casey's plate, then at Casey. "Sure honey. Are you feeling OK? You didn't eat much."

"I'm fine, mom. Just tired." Casey rose and took her plate into the kitchen, rinsing it and putting it into the dishwasher. She heard the rest of the family throwing out name ideas and laughing as she sighed and headed up to her room.

An hour later, Casey was lying on her bed reading when a knock sounded on her door. "Come in," she said, her eyes not leaving the page.

The door opened and Edwin walked in. "Uh, hey Case." He stood there awkwardly.

Casey marked her spot and put the book on her bedside table. "What's up?" She said, noticing that Edwin looked nervous.

"Uh, I was just, uh, wondering if everything was OK." His eyes were focusing somewhere above her head.

"I'm fine. Why do you ask?" Casey said curiously.

"You left the dinner table pretty quick. I thought you might be ready to hurl or something." Edwin said, shuffling from foot to foot.

Casey looked at Edwin and smiled. He really was too cute. Just when she thought he was a man, he would surprise her and act all child-like. It warmed her heart to know that he was concerned for her. However, her mind went to the conversation from dinner and the smile slid off her face. She had an idea.

"Ed, what are you doing right now?" She asked him.

He looked confused. "I'm talking to you."

Casey laughed. "No, I mean, are you doing anything for the rest of the night?"

Edwin's eyes widened and he looked at his watch. It was 8:00 p.m. "No, I don't have any plans. Why?" He was very curious now, and a little excited, to tell the truth. Any time he got to spend with Casey was alright with him.

"Will you come somewhere with me?" Casey asked her eyes serious.

"Uh, sure. Where?"

"I'll tell ya when we get there, but first, I have to figure out something to tell mom and George." Casey got up and started pacing.

Edwin stood watching her, getting more curious by the second. She stopped and faced him. "Go get ready and I'll meet you by the back door in 10 minutes." She went out the door and bounded down the stairs.

"What do I need to wear?" He called down after her.

"What you've got on is fine!" She called back.

'Then I'm ready.' He smiled and went into the bathroom to brush his teeth. 'You never know . . .' he thought to himself, smirking at his reflection in the mirror.

Casey bounded down the stairs and passed Lizzie, Marti and Derek, who were watching something on TV. She entered the empty kitchen and headed for the basement. Not wanting a repeat of a few weeks earlier, she made as much noise as she could walking down the stairs to alert her mom and George that someone was approaching. She didn't care to hear them having sex again.

The door was open, so she figured she was safe. However, she stopped outside the room and knocked on the door jamb. "Mom?" She called. Casey didn't even dare to stick her head around the corner for fear of seeing naked flesh.

Her mom appeared in front of her. "Hi honey. Do you need something?"

Casey geared herself up to lie. "Mom, I've got a huge craving for chocolate, but we don't have any in the house. I want to run to the store and pick something up. Is that OK with you?"

Nora mulled this over. "Is it OK with Derek? He doesn't need the car for anything, does he?"

Casey was slightly annoyed at being reminded that the car was not her own. She and Derek had to constantly coordinate their schedules and shuffle things around in order for them to share the Prince.

"I don't think so. He's upstairs watching something on TV with Marti and Lizzie. It looks like he's in for the night."

"Well, it's OK with me if it's OK with him." Nora said, turning back into the room. She seemed to think of something and turned back. "Be safe, though honey." Nora's eyes lit up with an idea. "Hey! Why don't you take Edwin with you? That way I won't have to worry about you going off alone at this time of night."

Casey refrained from laughing. 'As if 8 p.m. was the middle of the night or something!' Casey sighed dramatically. "Well, if I have to." She turned and headed up the stairs, smiling to herself. 'Well, that worked out better than I thought it would!'

Edwin was waiting by the door when she got to the top of the stairs. He didn't notice her at first, and she studied him as he stood there and combed his hair with his fingers, trying to brush it out of his eyes. Casey's stomach flipped. 'That hair!' She licked her lips and snuck up on him. She put her hands on his shoulders and whispered in his ear. "Boo."

He jumped slightly and whipped around. He grabbed her arms to steady himself. They looked at each other for a moment before Casey spoke. "We're good to go. Let me get my shoes from the foyer and we'll take off." She left Edwin there and headed into the living room. Derek, Marti and Lizzie were still there, engrossed in whatever it was they were watching. Casey headed past them and grabbed her flip-flops. As she headed back, she threw over to Derek, "I'm taking the car for a bit. I'll be right back." She hoped he wouldn't feel the need to give her the third degree. She didn't have much time.

Derek grunted around a mouthful of chips and Casey took that as her signal to get the heck out of there. She speed-walked to the back door and grabbed Edwin's arm, pulling him with her. Together they headed to the car, got in and sped away.

It wasn't until later that Derek realized Casey wasn't alone.

As soon as they were out of the driveway, Casey pulled out her phone and made a call. "Hey," Casey said to whoever was on the other end. "I'm coming over, and I'm not alone." She paused, and then continued. "Yeah, I know you have to work tonight, I won't be long." She said nothing and Edwin assumed that she was listening. "Cool. Be there soon." She hung up and continued driving. Edwin noticed that they were heading into the scummy part of town, passing empty strip malls and dilapidated houses. The lawns were overgrown and garbage littered the street.

"Case, where are we going?" Edwin asked, glancing at Casey, whose eyes were intent on the road.

"We're almost there." She said nothing after that.

A few minutes later, Casey pulled up in front of a dumpy-looking apartment building. It was made of cinder block that had been painted beige. However, the paint was flaking off, making the whole building look depressing. The lawn was weedy and a few of the windows were boarded up. On some of the windows that Edwin guessed were occupied apartments, sheets and blankets were used as curtains. They walked to the door and Casey pushed a button. The buzzer sounded, and the door clicked open. They entered and Casey led Edwin up a flight of stairs. They went to the second floor, stopping in front of #205. Casey looked at Edwin and knocked on the door.

A few seconds later, the door opened and a hand reached out, pulling Casey in. "What are you just standing there for? Come in!" A girl's voice sounded. Edwin remained outside the apartment, watching as a dark-haired girl tightly hugged Casey. Casey hugged her back and kissed her on the cheek.

Casey stepped back from the girl and faced Edwin. "Edwin, this is my friend Ashley. Ashley, this is my step-brother Edwin." Casey waved for Edwin to come in. He entered and stuck out his hand to Ashley, who shot Casey a glance that said, '_So this is the hot younger step, eh?' _Casey smiled. She and Ashley were getting so close that they no longer needed words to communicate with one another.

Ashley grabbed Edwin's hand and yanked him to her, giving him a big hug, startling Edwin. He looked at Casey over Ashley's shoulder with wide eyes. After a minute, his arms went around Ashley and he lightly hugged her back. Casey had a big smile on her face. She was glad that two very important people in her life met each other. She didn't like having to keep Ashley a secret.

Ashley stepped out of Edwin's arms and waved them over to the couch. "Sit, sit. Do you guys want anything? Water? Soda? Beer?" She said as she headed to the fridge.

Edwin looked at Casey. "I'll have a beer," he called out.

Casey looked at Ed sharply. "Uh, no he won't, Ash. Bring him a water instead. The last thing I need is to bring him home with alcohol on his breath. I'll be grounded until I'm 90."

'Oh well, I tried.' thought Edwin, smirking at Casey.

Ashley returned with three waters. Handing one to Casey and Edwin, she sat down in the chair opposite them. "So, to what do I owe this impromptu visit?" She asked, looking at Casey.

Casey thought for a moment. She couldn't explain on the phone to Ashley why she decided to bring Edwin over to meet her tonight, but after the conversation about strippers at dinner, and Edwin's take on it, Casey just couldn't let that stand. She didn't think it was fair for Edwin to be making judgments about someone who he has never met. Sure, Casey knew that there were probably strippers out there who were lazy and had dumb names, but Ashley wasn't one of them. Edwin needed to know that he couldn't go around talking smack when he didn't know what the hell he was talking about.

Casey snapped out of her reverie to find both Edwin and Ashley staring at her, waiting for an answer. "Oh, sorry. Um, I was just bored and I wanted to come see you. I decided to bring Ed along with me. I mean, no one in my family has met you yet, and I figured I should change that." She smiled at Ashley.

Ashley took a sip of her water, then smiled back. "Well, you know I will always make time for you, Case." Her eyes penetrated Casey's and she felt like Ashley was trying to tell her something. She shivered.

For almost an hour, Casey, Edwin and Ashley talked and laughed together, Ashley being her normal bouncy and fun self, asking Ed all sorts of questions about his life; from what he liked to do, to his plans for the future, to his love life (which made Edwin blush). Casey could tell that Edwin liked Ashley and the thought made Casey extremely happy. Hopefully this would change Edwin's view about judging people before knowing them.

They were laughing about something Edwin said when Ashley looked at her watch. "Oh geez, I have to get ready for work." She jumped up and headed toward the bedroom. "Hey Case, I need your help with something, can you come in here?"

Casey looked at Edwin and got up. "Sure. I'll be back." She threw at Edwin before following Ashley into her room.

Ashley shut the door and leaned against it. "Wow Case. You weren't kidding. That brother of yours is a cutie!" She was being dramatic, fanning herself with her hand like she was hot.

Casey laughed. "I know. I find myself daydreaming quite a bit . . ." She looked off into space for a moment, then shook herself out of it.

Ashley looked at Casey with a serious expression. "You know he's in love with you, right?"

If it was possible to choke on air, Casey did it. "What?" She backed up until her legs hit the bed and she sat down shakily.

Ashley came over and sat next to her on the bed. "Don't tell me you didn't know." She put her hand on Casey's thigh, rubbing it for comfort.

Casey put her hand over Ashley's and grasped it. "How do you know that? How can you tell?" She couldn't catch her breath. How was it possible for Ashley to know how Edwin felt about Casey? She just met him tonight!

"Sweetie, because I know these things. And frankly, I can't blame the guy. You are a wonderful person, a great friend, fun, beautiful, sexy . . ." Ashley caught herself and stopped. "Anyway, I could tell by the way he looked at you. It doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure it out."

"Well, then, I must be a total blockhead, because I had no idea." Casey said, shaking her head in disbelief. "Oh god, what am I going to do?"

Ashley put her arm around Casey and squeezed. "Who says you have to do anything?"

Casey pulled away with a surprised look on her face. "What do you mean? I can't just do nothing! I mean, I don't want to string him along or hurt him. That would kill me." She sighed and lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

Ashley lay back with her, turning her head to look at Casey's face. "Well, I guess you have to ask yourself: What are your feelings for him?" She paused. "Then whatever the answer is, you make a decision and go from there." She reached over and brushed a lock of hair out of Casey's face.

Casey turned and looked at Ashley. "How did this happen? I mean, it was just supposed to be harmless flirting! I never meant for it to go so far . . ." Casey turned her body and burrowed into Ashley's chest, her arms winding around her waist. "I don't know what to do. I mean, if it's true, I'm not exactly free to do anything about it. I have a boyfriend, and of course, there's Derek . . ." She said, her voice muffled by Ashley's shirt.

"Shhhhh. Calm down, hon. You know," Ashley paused, tilting Casey's chin up with her finger, "There is a possibility, however slight it may be, that I'm wrong on this." Casey went to open her mouth to say something, but Ashley put her finger over Casey's lips. "I'm just saying, it could be that I'm totally off base on this issue. Just something to think about."

Casey felt marginally better hearing that. She disengaged herself from Ashley and sat up, wiping her eyes. "I need to let you get ready for work."

Ashley, too, got up from the bed and went to her closet, picking out items and throwing them into her duffel bag. "You know, sometime you're going to have to come see me dance. I would love for you to see where I work." Ashley finished packing and headed to the door, her hand on the knob. "Case, I'm sorry if what I said upset you. It was just so obvious to me, and I guess I assumed that you already knew how he felt. I hope you're not mad at me." She looked at Casey, pleading with her eyes.

Casey wasn't mad at Ashley, just shocked about the whole situation (if it was true). She had some serious thinking to do.

"I'm not mad. How can I be mad at you? You're my BFF." They smiled at each other. "Come here," Casey said, opening her arms.

Eyes bright with happiness, Ashley stepped forward into Casey's arms and they hugged tightly, enjoying the closeness of their relationship.

Meanwhile, Edwin was getting antsy on the couch, wondering what was taking so long and what they were doing in there in the first place. He continued to sweep his eyes around the apartment. The outside of the joint looked pretty bad, but he was impressed at how nice Ashley kept it inside. He wondered why she chose to live in a dump like this in a shitty neighborhood. 'Of course', he thought, 'maybe this is all she can afford.'

A moment later, the door to the bedroom opened and Ashley and Casey appeared with big smiles on their faces. Edwin rose at the sight of them, although he didn't know why. Ashley walked up to Edwin and gave him another hug. "Edwin. It was so nice to meet you. Any family of Casey's is family of mine. You are welcome here anytime."

Edwin liked this girl. She was bubbly, fun, smart, and very attractive. Oh, he hadn't overlooked her extreme good looks. The girl exuded sexuality, but not in a whore-y way.

"Thanks. I appreciate that." Edwin smiled at Ashley.

Casey threaded her arm through Edwin's and pulled him to the door. "Come on, Ed. We have to get going because Ash has got to get to work."

Ashley collected the rest of the things she would need and they all walked out together. "So, where do you work, Ashley?" Edwin asked politely.

Ashley glanced at Edwin as she unlocked her car. "Call me Ash. I'm a dancer."

Edwin thought about that for a moment. What kind of dancer would be just now going to work at . . . he looked at watch . . . 9:15 p.m.? "Oh?" He said. "Where do you dance at?"

"It's a club called 'Pleasures'" Ashley paused, smirking, "Cheesy name, I know. But hey, I just work there."

This hit Edwin like a ton of bricks. He had heard of "Pleasures", his friends often making jokes about wanting to go there and see the "hos" shake their tits for money. He didn't know what to say and instead just nodded his head.

Casey noticed Edwin's discomfort and jumped in. "Hey hon. Thank you so much for letting us pop by on such short notice. I hope we don't make you late."

Ashley dropped her stuff into the front passenger seat. "Absolutely not. Don't worry about it. I do have to jet though. I'll call you tomorrow, OK?" Ashley said, directing the last part at Casey.

"Sure thing. Have a great night. I hope you make lots of money." Casey said, waving.

"Me too, babe. Me too." With that, Ashley started her "Demolition Derby" car (as she called it) and took off down the road, her hand waving back at them through the window.

Casey and Edwin got into the Prince and headed for home, neither saying much. Edwin suddenly turned his body toward Casey and said, "I get it now."

Casey glanced over at him for a moment before returning her eyes to the road. "What do you get?" She asked hopefully.

"This is about what I said at dinner, and why you were so defensive about strippers." Edwin said matter-of-factly.

Casey smiled. Edwin was no dummy. He caught on pretty fast. "Yes, it was. It bothered me a lot that you were making snap judgments about someone just because of their profession. It's ignorant and lazy."

Edwin nodded, saying nothing.

Casey looked over at him. "Ed, I'm not mad at you, OK? I just wanted you to meet the best person that _I've_ met in a while, who just so happens to be a stripper."

Edwin sighed at then spoke. "Case, I'm sorry for what I said at dinner. Of course, I was talking out of my ass again. I do that a lot. Forgive me?" He gave Casey his best puppy dog face.

Casey wanted to pull the car over and jump him when he looked at her like that, but of course, she refrained. Instead, she giggled and reached over and squeezed his leg with her hand.

They pulled up to the house and Casey shut off the car. 'I think I'm having déjà vu', she thought to herself, remembering the day she and Edwin had gone to the mall together. "Case," Edwin's voice sounded in her ear, "I like Ashley. And in the future, I will not make judgments about someone before meeting them."

He sounded so sincere that Casey felt her chest was going to explode with pride. 'This is why I like him so much. He actually admits when he's wrong and vows to change.' She couldn't help it. She leaned over and grabbed Edwin in a tight hug, burying her face in his shoulder. "That's all I wanted, Ed."

Edwin hugged back, his heart soaring at their closeness. He ached to kiss her but he didn't want to freak her out. They both moved apart and looked at each other, Casey staring at him like she was trying to figure out what he was thinking. It made him slightly uncomfortable. "What?" He asked uneasily.

Casey still said nothing, instead leaning forward again. Her eyes moved to his lips and her tongue darted out to wet her own. Edwin's breathing increased as he realized that she was going to kiss him. 'Oh god, oh god, don't blow this, Ed.' He was thinking to himself.

Casey's hand came up and cupped his cheek, her eyes falling closed. Edwin didn't want to close his eyes. He wanted to watch Casey as she leaned into him. He wanted to memorize this moment and imprint it on his brain forever. He could feel her breath on him now, a little bit more . . .

"Hey!" A voice startled them both and they jumped apart. Casey frantically looked around until she found the source. It was Marti, who was standing on the front porch, her hands on her hips. "Are you guys coming in or what? Nora said you went to go get chocolate, and I was wondering if you got any for me."

Casey and Edwin looked at each other, remembering that they were supposed to go to the store. 'Oops'. They exited the car and walked up the cement approaching the house. "Uh, sorry Marti, but we ate it all on the way home."

Marti looked at them closely, her examination making both Casey and Edwin squirm. "Hmmmm. I don't see any chocolate on your faces." She grabbed each of their hands. "None on your hands either. Well, that's suspicious." Sometimes Marti sounded so much like an adult it was scary.

Edwin looked at Casey, then answered. "What's suspicious?"

Marti dropped their hands. "Well, no one I know can eat chocolate without getting it all over their faces and hands. I'm just sayin'." She turned around and went into the house, slamming the door behind her.

Edwin and Casey stood on the porch, too shell-shocked to say anything. They turned and looked at each other before cracking up. Pretty soon, they were laughing their asses off and grabbing each other for support so they wouldn't fall down. "We always have so much fun together," Casey said breathlessly.

Edwin agreed. "That's because you're a fun person to hang out with. And it goes without saying that I'm a very entertaining person." Edwin puffed out his chest.

Casey laughed again, then looked around. Before he knew it, Casey's lips were on his, pressing firmly and softly at the same time. 'How does she do that?' he thought hazily. His eyes closed and his arms went up to surround her, but he was too slow, and Casey had already moved away. "Come on, let's get in before the 'rents call out the Mounties for us." She squeezed his hand and they both went inside.

**Review please!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer:** Blah, blah, blah

**Chapter Twenty-Two: The Admission**

When Casey and Edwin walked through the door they were confronted by a furious Nora and a stone-faced George, who were obviously waiting for them to arrive. "Where have you been?" Nora said, her voice angry. "I thought you were just running out for chocolate? You've been gone for over an hour!"

Casey and Edwin looked at each other. Casey spoke first. "I'm sorry, mom. The first store we went to didn't have anything that I wanted, so we had to go to another place a little farther down the road . . ."

"Just stop." Nora interrupted. "So where is it? Where is this chocolate that you were so desperate to get?" She said, hands on her hips. George stood next to her, saying nothing, a scowl on his face.

Casey fumbled for words. "Um, well . . ."

"We ate it all on the way home." Edwin said calmly. Casey shot him a grateful look for being able to hold it together. "In fact, I'm feeling a little sick. I think I might have given myself a belly ache." He said, putting a hand on his stomach.

Nora's eyes narrowed, but she said nothing. "Hummph." She grunted. "Well, you had me worried sick. I thought something might have happened to the two of you. I tried to call you, but it just kept going to voicemail." She still looked suspicious.

Casey's eyes widened. She reached for the phone in her purse and pulled it out. It showed five missed calls, no doubt all of them from her mom. "What . . .?" She examined her phone a little closer and realized that the ringer had somehow gotten turned off. "Mom, I'm so sorry, the ringer accidentally got turned off. We didn't mean to worry you." She said, a pleading note to her voice. Edwin stood silently next to her, and she was comforted by his arm brushing against hers.

Nora's face softened and she sighed. "Honey, I know I'm probably overreacting, but I just worry so much about you kids. It's just not safe out there anymore."

Casey moved forward and hugged Nora. "I know you worry, and I'm really sorry for upsetting you. I'll be more aware next time, OK?" Casey stepped back from Nora and searched her eyes, looking for any residual anger. She found none. She chanced a look at George, who no longer had a scowl on his face. Instead, he was looking at Edwin like he was trying to figure out if he was lying or not.

Nora spoke, "Alright. Well, George and I are going to bed. But I _suggest_," Nora emphasized the word and pointed her finger in their direction, "that the both of you stay home this weekend." As one, Nora and George turned and went downstairs to their room.

Edwin and Casey looked at each other and Casey started for the stairs, Edwin following behind her. Wordlessly, they went into Casey's room and shut the door. Casey sat on her bed, and Edwin took the desk chair. "Wow. That was weird. Why were they so angry?" Edwin asked, confused.

Casey looked at him. "I don't know. They're usually oblivious. Why do they choose now to start paying attention?" They both laughed.

They went silent, Casey fiddling with her bedspread and Edwin tapping his foot. After a beat, he rose from the chair and headed for the door. "Well, thanks for taking me to meet Ash tonight. I'm glad you have someone like her in your life. We should all have such good friends." Edwin said, sounding very much like an adult.

Casey smiled up at him. He was standing by the door, half-turned toward her, wearing shorts and a dark blue t-shirt. His dark hair was falling in his eyes and he brushed it away absently with his fingers. Saying nothing, Casey rose from the bed and approached him, stopping about a foot away. Looking into his eyes, which were swirling with untold emotions, she leaned in and touched her lips to his. The brief kiss they had shared on the front porch wasn't enough and she had to have more.

Edwin closed his eyes and reveled in the feel of her lips on his. This time, he didn't wait; he lifted his arms and pulled her against him. In response, her arms went around his neck and her hand buried itself in his hair. They kissed chastely for a moment before Casey broke away, staring at him shyly. She was having trouble meeting his eyes, what with being the aggressor both times. Casey really didn't know how Edwin felt about her, and of course, Ashley's words were still bouncing around in her head. _You know he's in love with you, right?_

Casey removed her arms from Edwin and started to back away. "Ed, I'm so sorry, I don't know what's come over me . . ."

Edwin still had his arms around her waist and back and was reluctant to let her go. Who knew when he would have another chance like this? "Casey. Why are you apologizing? I wanted you to kiss me." Edwin said matter-of-factly. Casey continued to pull away. "Don't go," he added softly, his eyes pleading.

Casey took one look at his face and couldn't say no. She moved back fully into his arms and rested her head on his shoulder. "What are we doing?" she murmured.

Edwin's voice rumbled in her ear, "I don't know, but I like it." He was rubbing circles on her back with his hand.

"I have a boyfriend." She protested weakly.

'_Hopefully not for long'._ "I know." Edwin gritted out.

"This is crazy," Casey continued, but she didn't move out of Edwin's arms.

"I know." He agreed, "But you know what?" He moved back slightly and tilted Casey's face up with his finger, "I don't care." With that, he leaned forward and kissed her again, this time more insistent. Casey sighed against his mouth and moved into the kiss, her head spinning. His arms tightened around her and she felt his hardness against her.

Casey moaned and shifted against him, grinding slightly. Edwin spun, bringing Casey with him so she was pressed against the door. She raised one of her legs and wrapped it around him, while one hand balled in his shirt and another played with the hair at the nape of his neck.

She jumped a bit when she felt Edwin's tongue at the seam of her lips, begging entrance. She gladly gave it, her mouth opening and her tongue twining with his. She could feel how fast Edwin's heart was beating against her, and there was a roaring in her ears. In a far part of her mind, she could hear her conscience: _This is wrong! Stop now, before you go too far!_ Casey shut it off and continued to kiss Edwin, loving the feel of his mouth against hers. She thought she detected the faint minty taste of toothpaste, but she wasn't sure.

They were kissing frantically now, their tongues darting and their teeth nipping, and Casey thought she might pass out from the lack of oxygen. She broke their kiss with a 'pop!' and stood gasping.

Edwin dropped his arms and moved away, also breathing heavily, his erection obvious in his shorts. He turned and faced away from Casey, rubbing the back of the neck.

Casey was leaning against the door, trying to catch her breath, but she wanted to reassure Edwin that he had done nothing wrong. She moved toward him and wound her arms around him, leaning against his back. "Ed?"

He said nothing for a minute, still panting a bit. He was tense, and stood stock-still.

"Edwin." Casey said softly, "Why don't we stop beating ourselves up and questioning everything and just admit that there's something between us." She was being bold, she knew, but the hell with it! She didn't want to forget her vow to change her life and live it to the fullest; this was just a part of that. The trick, though, was to do those things without anyone getting hurt.

Edwin turned in her arms and stared at her. "Case, I don't know what the hell's going on here. I've been clueless forever, it seems like. All I know is that I want to be with you all the time. I think about you all the time, and when I'm not with you, I wonder where you are and what you're doing. You make me happy, Casey. I want . . ." He paused, searching for his words. "I want a chance to make _you_ happy. I want . . ." He put his hands on either side of Casey's face, his thumbs rubbing her cheeks, "I just want you." He leaned forward and kissed her lips, then moved back, searching her face for a reaction.

Casey's eyes widened. _Ashley was right._ Of course, Edwin didn't come right out and say, "I love you," but it was close enough in her book. It was the most heartfelt thing that she had ever heard from a guy. "Ed, I . . ." Casey jumped at the knock on her door. She moved away from Edwin. "Who is it?" She said, looking at Edwin fearfully.

"It's me. Can I come in?" Derek voice sounded through the door.

Edwin and Casey looked at each other. _'Oh shit!_' "Um, I'm not dressed; can I throw something on and come to your room when I'm done?" Casey hoped her voice didn't sound weird.

There was silence for a moment before Derek's voice said, "Yeah, OK." Casey strained trying to hear his footsteps hopefully moving away from the door. They both stood still, waiting. Casey's heart was beating so fast she thought it was going to come out of her chest. She sat down on her bed and put her head in her hands.

"Ed. What are we doing? We have to slow down here. There are too many things that would be affected if we were to get involved." Casey looked up at Edwin, who was looking down at her sorrowfully. "I'm not saying no, but have you forgotten about Brett?" Edwin's face darkened at this. "And what about your age? Or the fact that we're step-siblings? What would the family think? Our friends? There's a lot to consider here, and I want to make sure we go through it all." Casey sighed and shook her head. She was all gung-ho about wanting to jump off a cliff and change her life, until the time actually came for her to do it. She could only be careless for so long before her old self reared its head. 'This is for the best.' she thought.

Edwin sat down next to her and took her hand. "Case, I understand everything that you're saying, and I agree that we need to talk about all of that. All I'm saying is don't shut the door on it totally, OK? Can you promise me that? That's all I ask." He was staring earnestly at her, a hopeful look on his face.

Casey smiled and squeezed his hand. "I can do that." She paused. "Now, how are we going to get you out of my room without anyone seeing you?"

They looked at each other, their expressions saying 'Good luck with that!'

In the end, Casey decided to poke her head out and check the hallway. When she determined that the coast was clear, she shooed Edwin out of her room and up the stairs to the attic. She then straightened herself up, went to Derek's door and knocked on it. Hearing nothing, she knocked again and waited. And waited. "Derek? You in there?" Casey asked, getting annoyed. She tried the knob. It wasn't locked. She slowly opened the door and peeked in. The room was in its typical state: a total mess. It was also empty. Derek was nowhere to be seen. Casey walked around, and for a moment, thought he might be hiding from her. "Derek. If you're playing some kind of game, it isn't funny." She crouched down and looked under his bed. 'Ewwww' She wished she hadn't done that. It was occupied by dust bunnies and old pizza boxes.

She sat on his bed for a while, thinking that he couldn't have gone far. After about 10 minutes, she gave up and left, heading back to her own room. 'If he wants to talk to me bad enough, he'll find me.' She had a date with her vibrator.

Edwin crept up the stairs and entered his room, but was stopped short by what he saw there. Derek had made himself at home on Edwin's bed and was stretched out reading a comic book, his legs crossed at the ankles. Edwin instantly became annoyed. "What are you doing?" He asked.

Derek lowered the comic. "Waiting for you. Duh."

"Ooookay." Edwin grabbed a chair and plopped into it. "So talk." He leaned back and crossed his arms.

Derek sat forward. "Where were you?" His eyes penetrated Edwin's and Edwin recognized one of Derek's trademarks: Intimidation. It might have worked on Edwin when he was younger, but not anymore.

He blew out a breath. "None of your business. Is there anything else, because I'm busy." He got up to usher Derek out, but Derek was having none of it. "Ed, I may have apologized for the other night, but whatever it is you're doing with Casey, you better think again. It's a bad idea. A. Bad. Idea." Derek stood and tried to make himself taller, but failed as Edwin's eyes met his levelly.

"Derek. Enough of the interrogations and accusations." Derek's eyes widened. "What I do is _my_ business, not yours. Same with Casey. And if you're wondering about how she spends her time, talk to her, not me." Edwin said forcefully. "Now, I don't want to fight with you. We have a shared interest – Casey's safety – and the last thing we need is to be arguing. So can we just forget about this fascination you have with me and Casey and move on?" Edwin said, exasperated.

Derek's eyes dawned a revelation. "Dammit!"

"What?" Edwin asked confused.

"You and Casey. You're both grounded this weekend, aren't you? Well, that's just great," Derek was pacing now. "There goes our plan for the party. How are we gonna nail those douches now?" He was practically wringing his hands with worry. Edwin had never seen Derek so agitated before. Well, not before recently, that is.

"Oh shit, that's right." Edwin paused. "Hey! How did you know we were grounded?" Even though Nora had only "suggested" that they stay in, that was just a code word for grounded.

Derek looked guilty for a moment then his expression changed. "I was listening, of course." He looked triumphant and Edwin wanted to slap the expression off his face.

Instead he rolled his eyes. "Whatever." He scrubbed a hand over his face. "Look D, let's continue this convo tomorrow, OK? I'm beat, and my belly hurts from all the _chocolate_ I ate." Edwin smirked, purposely goading Derek. He was on dangerous ground, he knew.

Derek's face darkened and Edwin was afraid he was going to jump him, but the moment passed and Derek left Edwin's room, muttering to himself. Edwin was pretty sure he heard his and Casey's names, along with some curse words thrown in. He turned away and smiled to himself. Derek would just have to get used to the fact that he couldn't push his "little" brother around anymore. And Casey would just have to learn that Edwin wouldn't give up without a fight.

**Review please!**


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but 20 pairs of pants that I can no longer fit into.

**Chapter Twenty-Three: The Punishment**

Casey was in her room the next day, listening to the missed calls on her phone from the night before. She was wrong; not all of them were from her mom. One was from Brett, calling to say how much he was looking forward to taking her to the party the next night. Casey frowned. She would have to call Brett and let him know that she couldn't go. Strangely, she wasn't that upset at not seeing him. Her feelings were so jumbled, she didn't know which way was up.

"Casey! Come downstairs, please!" Nora's voice boomed from the kitchen. She sighed and rose to find out what her mom wanted.

"I need you to dust and vacuum the living room, and then do the laundry." Nora was telling Casey as she was wiping down the kitchen counter.

Casey scowled. "Even Derek's clothes?" God, she hoped not. Touching his dirty clothes was a risky proposition.

"Yes, even Derek's. That's why it's called 'punishment.'" said Nora. "Don't worry, you're not alone. Edwin's got bathroom duty."

"Ugh. Better him than me." Casey said to herself.

Upstairs, Edwin approached Derek's door, smoothing his hands on his shorts before knocking. 'Don't let him push you around.'

The door opened and there stood Derek, looking annoyed and sporting a serious case of bed head. "What?" He barked.

Edwin pushed past him into Derek's room and sat on the bed. Derek looked seriously annoyed. "Sure, come on in." he said sarcastically.

Ignoring him, Edwin said, "Look, about the party. I've been thinking. I may be grounded, but you're not. You can still go, and I think you and Sam and Ralph should still do this."

Derek was already shaking his head. "We can't do it without Casey. There is no way that we can gain access to his house during his 'intimate gathering.'" Derek mocked Alex's words with his voice. "Maybe it if was one of his huge bashes we could sneak in without being seen, but this . . . I don't think so. We're gonna have to regroup and come up with something else. Or wait for another party to happen. He has enough of them." Derek said, digging a sleepy out of his eye.

Edwin thought about this. "Well, I guess you're right, but man, Casey needs to find out quick that she's dating a major dick, before something bad happens."

Derek stopped moving and looked at Edwin. "And so you can make a move on her."

Edwin sighed and got up. "Derek, not this again . . ."

"No. Ed, we're gonna talk about this. And you _know_ I have to be serious because I hate taking about stuff, unless it's sports or girls . . . _other_ girls." Derek amended. "Ed, be straight with me. What is going on with you and Casey?"

Edwin was tired of going back and forth with Derek. He decided to tell the truth and take the heat from Casey later. "I think I'm in love with her." He said, staring at Derek defiantly.

Derek paled and sat down at his desk. "You . . . what?" His mouth was opening and closing, making him look like a fish. At least that's what Edwin thought.

"Do you want me to repeat it?"

Derek sputtered. "No. I heard you the first time." He took a deep breath and stood up. "Are you nuts? What are you thinking? You don't know what love is, you're only 15! And Casey? Come on, her middle name is Drama. Do you really want to get involved with that?" He was waving his arms and pacing. It was quite humorous.

Edwin held back his smirk and said calmly. "Maybe I'm nuts, but I can't help how I feel, Derek. She makes me happy."

Derek stared hard at him. "She makes you happy . . ." he said this more to himself, then squinted harder at him. "Are you sleeping with her?" he asked bluntly.

Edwin snorted. "Just because I said she makes me happy doesn't automatically mean that I was referring to sex. Get your mind out of the gutter. What I feel for Casey is not based on sex. It goes way deeper than that."

Derek laughed derisively. "Yeah, right. You're a teenage boy. Everything you do, think and say revolves around getting laid."

Edwin was angry now. "No, Derek. That's _you_, not me. And this conversation is over." He turned and left. Edwin couldn't stand to look at his brother right now.

Two hours later, the house was empty, save for Edwin and Casey. Derek was working, and George and Nora had taken Marti to the zoo. Lizzie was at a friend's for the day. Casey was diligently dusting, being mindful to move all the knick-knacks and wipe them carefully before returning them to their spots. She was wearing her typical outfit for cleaning: A white tank, a pair of Juicy shorts, and her hair in a messy bun. She wore no make-up.

She could hear Edwin banging around in the bathroom upstairs, probably having a heck of a time scrubbing off the ring around the tub. Her phone rang. Casey looked at the display, it was Brett. "Hello?"

"Hey babe. How are you today?" Brett said in her ear.

She smiled, but remembered that she had to break the news of her grounding to him. "I'm fine. You?"

"Wonderful, especially since I'm going to get to spend time with my best girl." He said warmly.

Casey frowned. "Yeah, about that. I got grounded last night and I can't go to the party with you." She paused, waiting for a reaction. She got none, just silence. That made her nervous. "Hon, I'm so sorry, I was going to call you sooner, but my mom put me on cleaning duty and I got distracted." Silence. "Babe, you there?"

She heard Brett sigh in her ear. "Yeah, I'm here, just really disappointed. I've been looking forward to it all week. You don't even know . . ." he trailed off.

Casey felt bad, but not overly so. 'What is wrong with me?' "Sweetie, I promise I'll make it up to you, OK? You go ahead and have a good time without me." She paused. "Just not _too_ good a time." She laughed slightly.

Brett laughed with her. "Right. There's no other girl I would rather be with than you. And you're all mine, right?"

Casey felt guilty. Flashes of her and Edwin grinding up on each other the night before made her flush. "Right." She said automatically. _'Liar!'_

"That's what I want to hear." His possessiveness was charming at first, but now struck Casey a different way. She shook her head. "Hon, I have to go, I have another call coming in. Talk to you later?" asked Casey.

"Sure thing. Have a good day cleaning." Brett snickered.

"Yeah yeah. Later." She clicked over to the other call. "Hey, Ash. What's shakin?"

"Casey, baby!" Ashley said enthusiastically. "How are you this fine day?"

Casey couldn't help but smile when she heard Ash's voice. "Well, I could be better. Edwin and I are grounded and stuck cleaning the house today while everyone else is out." She said, dusting an end table.

"Awwww, because of last night?" Ashley asked sympathetically.

"Yeah, my mom is such a worry-wart. I mean, God, I'm 17 freaking years old! She has to start letting go sometime, right?" Casey said, frustrated.

"Well, true, but I understand where she's coming from. There are a lot of freaks and psychos out there, trust me on this, Case." Yet another situation where Casey felt that there was more to the story. She would have to sit Ashley down and make her talk one of these days. Ashley spoke again. "So, I guess you wouldn't be able to come out tonight to see me dance." She sounded disappointed.

"Oh man! I wish, but no. Rain check?" Casey asked, hopefully.

"Sure babe." Ashley paused. "Wait, I just thought of something. You said that there was no one home but you and Edwin? Hmmmm . . . how can you take advantage of that?" she said laughing.

Casey could feel her face burning and a twinge between her legs thinking of all the ways her and Edwin could spend their afternoon alone together. But she didn't want to rush things. Not with him. The results could be disastrous. Not just for them, but for the whole family. She would need to communicate that to Edwin.

"Ash, stop, OK? This is serious. Last night, Ed practically professed his love for me. He wants him and me to be together!" Casey said in a loud whisper. She was pretty sure Edwin would be mortified if he heard her telling someone else about their conversation.

Ashley got serious. "And what do _you_ want?"

Casey closed her eyes. "I don't know . . . I'm so confused. I've got a great boyfriend who wants to spend time with me, and here I am lusting after my stepbrother!"

"Well, Case, it sounds like you have to make a decision soon before things get any more complicated. Either way, someone is going to get hurt." She said matter-of-factly.

"I know, and I hate the thought of hurting anyone." Casey sighed. "Ash, you should have seen Ed's face. He was so sweet and the things he said . . ." she trailed off.

"I believe you. I could tell from meeting him last night that he's a great guy." Ashley paused, and then continued. "Tread lightly on this, Case. Don't make any rash decisions, and of course, I'm always here if you need anything."

Casey knew this and for the millionth time since meeting her, she was glad Ashley was her friend. "Thanks hon. That means more to me than you know." She smiled as she caught sight of Edwin coming down the stairs. "I have to go. I'll talk to you later."

"Bye hon." Ashley said before hanging up.

After hanging up with Ashley, Casey burst out laughing. Edwin was wearing a bandanna around his head that made him look like Aunt Jamima. He was also shirtless, but wearing an apron that said, "Ask me about my meat." This made Casey laugh hysterically.

Edwin arrived on the landing and stood there, watching Casey crack up. "What?"

Casey could barely stop laughing enough to gasp out, "Ed, what the hell are you wearing on your head, and where did you get that apron?"

Edwin looked down at himself, then looked up and smirked at Casey. "Would you like to ask me about my meat?" He said slyly.

"No!" Casey said loudly and she went after Edwin, causing him to start running into the kitchen. They chased each other around the house, laughing and tossing half-hearted insults at each other. A little while later, Casey was in the kitchen bent over, gasping when Edwin came up behind her and grabbed her around the waist, lifting her and spinning her in the air. "Aaaaahh!" She screamed. "Put me down!" She said laughing.

Edwin acquiesced and set her down, but he didn't move away, instead pinning her between his body and the counter. He went to kiss her but she ducked away, turning her head. Edwin moved back. "What's wrong?"

Casey looked at Edwin and sighed. "Ed, I've been thinking about this, and I've decided that I can't pursue anything with you until I've decided what to do about Brett. I can't keep doing this with you," she gestured between the two of them, "if I still have a boyfriend. I'm not that type of person. I don't _want_ to be that type of person." She stated.

Edwin nodded. Then he did something that surprised Casey. He smiled.

"What?" She asked curiously.

Edwin continued to smile at her, and then spoke. "Case, I would expect nothing less from you. That's what makes you _you_. You're a good person who wants to do the right thing, and that is why I want to be with you." He paused, "well, one of the reasons, at least."

Casey was astounded at Edwin's statement. 'Does this boy get any better?'

His voice sounded again in front of her. "Case, whatever you decide to do, I'll be here. I'll _always_ be here." He looked so sincere.

Casey thought of something. "Ed, don't make promises that you can't keep. I don't know what's going to happen, and I can't guarantee a speedy solution. Can you deal with that?" she searched his eyes for an answer. All she found was a guy standing in front of her with an expression of love and adoration on his face, his eyes warmly caressing hers.

"Casey, I'll wait for you forever if I have to." He leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek, then went to the fridge for a drink. "Water?" he asked nonchalantly.

She stood there with her mouth hanging open. He moved in front of her and held up the bottle in front of her face. "Case?" he asked, waving it in front of her.

"Oh, yeah, thanks." She took the bottle and they both went into the living room.

"Hey, I have an idea." Edwin said. "Why don't we pool our resources and help each other finish our chores? That way we can get done twice as fast."

Casey raised her eyebrow and said, "Ed, you just want help cleaning the bathroom, don't you."

Edwin ducked his head, "Yeah, pretty much."

Laughing, Casey said, "Come on, then." Together they went up the stairs.

The rest of the day was spent together cleaning and chatting about anything and everything. Just two people spending time and enjoying each other's company.

After dinner, George and Nora decided that it would be "Family Game Night."

Derek begged off, saying that he had plans with Sally. Edwin didn't have a chance to speak with him before he left, so he had no idea if they were going to go ahead with their plan the following night. Edwin thought that if they did, they would have to drastically alter their strategy and he didn't know if they could do that without getting busted. He was giving himself a headache and he didn't want to think about it anymore. As long as Casey was safe, which she was (for tonight anyway), he was good. Edwin sighed and settled in for a night of competition and good-natured arguing.

**Review please!**


	24. Chapter 24

**Note:** OK, folks. I'm posting this earlier than I usually would because I'm not going to be around tonight. Dasey fans, please don't hate me. It's all part of the larger journey.

**Chapter Twenty-Four: A Decision Made**

"Derek."

"Der-rek."

"Derek, are you listening to me? _Derek_!" Sally's voice yelled in his ear. He jumped and looked over at her. They were sitting on a couch in her living room, having gone to her house after eating at a greasy diner. Derek could feel the cheeseburger and chocolate shake he had just sitting in his stomach like a rock. 'I have got to start eating better,' he thought to himself, then 'Did I just think that?'

Sally waved her hand in front of his face. "Derek, what is up with you? You've been distracted all night. It's like you're not even here!"

Derek sighed. "I'm sorry, Sal. I've got a lot going on right now, that's all. What were you saying?" He braced himself to listen to her babble on about something that he was sure he could care less about.

"Do you want to watch a movie?" Sally asked, rubbing his arm.

"Nah." Derek's eyes moved restlessly around the room.

"Do you want to listen to music?"

"Nope." Eyes still wandering, his knee jumping now.

"Hmmm . . . do you want to go to my room?" Sally's voice was in his ear, her breath making him shiver.

He stopped fidgeting and glanced at her. She was wearing a red tube top (how did he miss that?) and a short white skirt, showing off her long, tan legs. Her feet were bare and she was wearing her long blonde hair down in waves. Derek smiled. Sally was a beautiful girl, and here she was throwing herself at him. What was his problem? "We could do that."

They rose and ascended the stairs to Sally's bedroom. They were alone in the house, Sally's parents gone away for a long weekend. Derek didn't know where her brother was.

They entered her room, which was decorated in pink and red. He looked around. Her bed was unmade and clothes littered the floor. A woman after his own heart. He had had enough of obsessively neat women. Not like he was thinking of anyone in particular . . .

Sally sat down on her bed and waved Derek over. He sat next to her and they said nothing for a while, making Derek even jumpier than before.

"So . . ." he said. "What do you want to do?" He already knew the answer, he just wanted to hear her say it again. What guy doesn't want to hear a hot chick tell them she wants him?

Sally turned her body toward Derek's and looked at him with a sultry smile. "I think we've already covered what I want to do. The question is, do you want it too?" She reached her hand out and caressed Derek's neck, giving him goose bumps.

He closed his eyes at the sensation. _'I should just give in. What's stopping me? Give her what she wants. I need to get laid. It'll feel good.'_ Thoughts swirled in Derek's head and he jumped when he felt Sally's hands on his thighs, making their way toward his crotch. She leaned over and kissed him, then, her tongue darting out to run across his lips. Derek sat there, unmoving, still deciding whether or not to give in.

He could smell Sally's perfume and shampoo and it wasn't an unpleasant scent. He felt his dick jump when Sally pressed her chest against his and her hands went for his belt buckle.

'Oh god. I need to do something before it goes too far and I'm lost.' Derek thought muzzily. Sally's mouth was at his ear now, her tongue darting in and out. That was something that always drove Derek crazy and he growled as she lightly bit his earlobe, then soothed it with her tongue. He still sat there, not touching her as she undid his belt and pants, the zipper coming down soon after. She continued to kiss him and he unconsciously allowed her into his mouth, their tongues swirling together. He could feel himself getting harder as she ran her hand over him and rubbed. He bucked into her hand and pressed his lips harder against hers. He was quickly losing control and was running out of time to back out.

He knew he was gone when Sally moved down and took him into her mouth. He lay back and closed his eyes, reveling in the feeling of her hot mouth working him. He clenched his hand in her hair, the other grasping the sheet. She moved up and down, her tongue swirling around the head and darting in and out of the slit. Derek was close and his breathing increased. Soon he was coming and Sally kept her mouth on him, taking it all. Afterward, she licked him clean and moved up to cuddle into his side. He was breathing heavily and he swore his could see stars on the ceiling.

Hours later, after returning home and entering his room, he noticed a pile of neatly folded clothes on his desk chair. Atop the pile was a note that read:_ Derek, don't say I never did anything for you – Casey. P.S. For God's sake, clean your room! _

He sat down on the end of his bed, putting his head in his hands. Right now, he felt like his life was spinning out of control, and he had no idea how to stop it. He thought back to earlier:

_Derek lay on his back, Sally stretched out beside him, stroking his chest with her hand. They didn't say anything for awhile, until Sally said, "Did you like that?"_

"_Ummmhmmm," Derek could not yet speak. Sally leaned forward and kissed his neck. Rubbing her leg over his, she said, "It could be like this all the time, Derek. I could make you so happy . . ." she trailed off, and continued to kiss his neck. Derek felt himself hardening again and this time there were no second thoughts, no questions. He needed to move on with his life and forget about Casey. He would see it through as far as protecting her from harm, and would always be there for her as a friend, but he couldn't allow himself to be rendered so vulnerable by his feelings for her, whatever they may be. At least with Sally, he could control his emotions, and he thought he could be happy with her. She was a great girl, and fit in well with his family._

_Derek moved on top of Sally and pulled down her tube top, revealing her breasts. He covered one with his mouth, teasing the nipple with his tongue. His other hand reached under her skirt and yanked down her underwear. He got up and kicked off his pants, boxers and shirt. Crawling back over Sally, he said, "I need something." Sally looked at him confused, and then a look of understanding came over her face. "Bedside drawer." She said, shimmying out of her skirt and top. She lay there naked, her arms stretched out, watching him roll the condom over his cock._

_Derek stared down at her, taking in her beauty and really looking at her for the first time. 'I can do this. We can be happy together.' Derek was somewhat confused by his thoughts, usually he just went for it, only caring about his own needs. He didn't want to do that this time. Sally deserved better and he was going to give it to her. He moved over her and kissed her lips, entering her slowly. "Oooohh," Sally breathed out, clutching her arms around him. He began to move, Derek reveling in the sensation of her clasped around him. He bent his head and sucked on her collarbone, leaving a mark._

_Sally bit into his shoulder, making Derek gasp and he sped up, his thrusts becoming more erratic. Time seemed to slow down and he wanted to remember this moment, when he knew he was opening a new chapter in his life and moving forward. No looking back. Before Derek returned home that night, they came together many times, both receiving and giving pleasure to each other._

Derek snapped back to the present. He rose and went to the bathroom to relieve himself and brush his teeth. As he was exiting, he ran into Casey. "Derek, why are we always meeting like this?" Casey laughed.

Derek didn't. "I don't know.

Casey looked at Derek speculatively. "Is everything OK?" She looked concerned.

Derek smiled. "Yeah, everything's great, thanks for asking." He walked around her and went to enter his room. He turned back when he remembered something. "Oh, Case?"

She poked her head out of her room, "Yes?"

"Thanks for doing my laundry. I really appreciate it." He smiled and went into his room.

A moment later, his door opened and Casey walked in. She stood there for a moment and then moved toward him. Instinctively, Derek moved back into his pillows. He _so_ didn't need to be physically close to her right now. "Uh, what are you doing?" he asked nervously as she leaned over him and put her palm against his forehead.

"I'm checking for a fever." Casey said simply.

"Why?" Derek tried not to look at her chest, which was uncomfortably close to his face.

"Well, you're obviously sick, because I don't think I've ever heard you thank me for anything." She paused, "you're either sick or have been possessed by a body-snatching alien from outer space. So which is it?" she said, smirking.

Derek looked up at her and couldn't help it. He pulled her down and wrapped his arms around her, squeezing tightly. He breathed in her scent and ran his hands over her back. 'One last time.' He thought.

"Derek?" Her voice was questioning in his ear. "What's wrong? You know you can tell me anything, right?"

"There's nothing wrong, Case, nothing at all." He released her and she stood up, an expression of confusion and what Derek thought looked like fear on her face. It passed quickly though. "Just one friend hugging another." He smiled ruefully.

Casey smiled back. "Friends." She paused. "I still can't believe sometimes that we ended up being so close. I like it." Another pause. "Derek, we need to hang out more, we haven't spent much time together, and I miss you." She was telling him that a lot lately, it seemed.

'That's not a good idea, but what can I do?' Derek's gaze faltered, "Well, I've been really busy working, and then there's Sally . . ." He looked at Casey then, whose expression had changed to one of disgust and annoyance. He had to get them (well, Casey mostly) to get along with each other if he and Sally were going to be together. "Case, I know you don't like her, but I've never heard a good reason for that. She's a great girl. I would really like it if you two could become friends."

Casey turned away, making a design in his carpet with her toes. She sighed. "I know. There's just something about her, Derek. She just . . .bugs me." Casey turned back around. "But for you, I'll try, OK?" She managed a smile and moved to his door. "I should head to bed. Have a good night."

"Goodnight Case." Derek said, his heart aching as he watched her leave.

**Review please, please, please!**


	25. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except a LoJack that only finds other cars, but not mine. I know, I'm running out of material.

**Chapter Twenty-Five: The Intimate Gathering**

The next night, Derek headed to Sam's to meet up with him and Ralph. He hadn't filled them in on the change of plans yet, and he didn't know how they were going to take it.

"Dude, we have to abort." Ralph said upon hearing the news. Sam agreed, but Derek wasn't ready to give up just yet. "I think we should just head over there and case the place." An idea popped into his head. "Sam, do you still have your video camera?"

Sam thought for a moment. "Uh, yeah, I think so. I don't know if the batteries still work though."

Derek waved him off. "Go get it. Maybe we can catch them in the act _and_ get it on tape. Our _own_ tape." He smiled craftily.

After finding the camera and determining that, yes, the batteries still work, they headed off to Alex's. They parked down the street in the shadows of a tree and walked silently down the sidewalk to his house. Derek led them to the window where he had seen the action before. This time, there were only a few cars in front of the house, which didn't surprise Derek considering it was supposed to be an "intimate gathering." He had come to hate that phrase.

The window was open and the blinds were in the same position as before. However, the room was dark and empty. "Let's stay here for a bit and see if someone comes in." Derek whispered to Sam and Ralph, who were standing behind Derek against the house.

"Sweet. Just like spies." Ralph said, rubbing his hands together. Sam and Derek rolled their eyes.

A half hour later, they were still waiting, and Sam and Ralph – especially Ralph – were getting restless. "Dude, I think this is a bust. They could be using any number of rooms." Sam said. "I say we come back another time and try again."

"Yeah, dude. This sucks, and I'm getting hungry." whined Ralph, clutching his stomach.

Derek was annoyed. "Guys, this isn't some crackerjack operation! It's serious shit! People are getting hurt. Don't you think we should do something about it?" He looked at Sam and Ralph. "Remember why we agreed to do this. Casey, remember? Do you want her to get drugged and raped? Do you?" He whispered forcefully.

"No . . ." Sam and Ralph both said, hanging their heads.

"OK, then. Let's not give up because we have to wait or because we're hungry." Derek looked pointedly at Ralph.

Just then, they heard laughing coming from around the front of the house. Derek, Sam and Ralph crept up the hill and Derek poked his head around, hidden by the giant shrubs that flanked the house. He knew that laugh sounded familiar. It was Kendra and a guy Derek knew named Matt. They were strolling up the walkway approaching the front door. They entered without knocking. "It's Kendra and Matt." Derek whispered to Sam and Ralph. "I wonder if Kendra knows what these guys are up to. Or, she could be their next target." Derek was worried for Kendra. Sure, their relationship ended badly, but she didn't deserve to be taken advantage of. "Guys, we gotta do something. We can't leave knowing that Kendra could be attacked."

Sam and Ralph looked at each other. "Uh, dude. I know you don't want to hear this, but Kendra hasn't exactly been Miss Polly Pure. She gets around. So, why would they have to drug her to get what they want? She would probably gladly give it up without any help." Sam said, stepping out of Derek's reach.

Derek scowled. He didn't enjoy hearing that his ex-girlfriend is a whore. Not that he cared so much about her reputation (he did, a little), but it made him look stupid. "Oh, the girl's easy, so we might as well let her get attacked?"

Sam shook his head. "Dude, that's not what I was saying. I meant that I find it hard to believe that Kendra is involved."

"Then why did I just see her going in?" Derek asked impatiently.

"I don't know." Sam shrugged his shoulders.

Ralph spoke up from behind Sam, "I guess I won't be calling Kendra for a date . . ." Both Sam and Derek glared at him. They moved back to their previous position and looked in the window again. It was still dark. Derek then led Sam and Ralph around the back of the house and tried the downstairs slider. Amazingly, it was open. Derek slid it open and they all crept in. It looked like the lower level was unoccupied, judging from the lack of lighting.

They could hear laughing and talking coming from the main floor. Derek, Sam and Ralph stood off to the side of the staircase leading upstairs and debated what to do next. "How do we get upstairs without being seen?" Sam asked softly.

"Hey, maybe we can find some disguises and then no one will know who we are!" said Ralph excitedly.

"Why did we bring him again?" Sam asked.

"Because he's fast and has a good sucker punch." Derek said.

"Right." said Sam.

They stilled when they saw the door to the stairway open and heard someone coming down. "This way!" Derek whispered. They all hid in a closet that was just big enough for the three of them.

The voices came closer and Derek recognized that it was Kendra and Alex. They moved past the closet and entered what Derek assumed was the room where he had seen Alex, Brad and Brett before. "Oops, sorry." He heard Ralph whisper.

"What . . .?" Derek was saying when the smell hit his nose. "Damn, Ralph. That reeks!"

"Derek, you owe me big time for this." gritted Sam. "Hiding in a tiny closet with a gassy Ralph was not part of the plan."

"Just shut it, will you?" Derek whispered. He quietly opened the door and poked his head out. Seeing no one, he opened the door wider and they all exited the closet quietly, heading for the now-closed door. Derek saw this and waved for Sam and Ralph to follow him the other way back outside. He was going to return to his former perch and see if he could catch a rat.

Upon returning to the window, they settled in to observe; Derek on one side, Sam and Ralph on the other. Cautiously, they peeked in the window. Inside, Kendra and Alex were sitting on the couch talking. Kendra leaning against Alex, her hand on his chest. He had his hand on her knee and was rubbing it. "Ken, I have some stuff that I think you would enjoy." Alex leaned forward and took out a bag filled with what Derek assumed was drugs. He saw Kendra's eyes widen. Derek knew that Kendra drank a lot, but he had never known her to take drugs. Of course, there were a lot of things that Derek didn't know about Kendra until after they broke up. The most obvious being that she couldn't keep her legs closed, even when they were together.

Kendra's eyes darted to the bag and then to Alex. "Um, I don't think so. I was hoping that you had some weed."

Alex put the bag on the table. "Babe, that's kid's stuff. You're way past that. I thought an adventurous girl like you would want to have some _real_ fun." He returned his hand to her knee, this time running it up her thigh and under her skirt. Kendra's eyes closed and her knees fell open. Derek felt vaguely sick watching. 'The things I do for Casey . . .'

Sam and Ralph were also watching, Sam with an expression of shock on his face and Ralph with a curious look, like he couldn't wait to see more. Alex took his hand away from Kendra and prepared the powder for snorting. Kendra watched as he cut and divided it up, her eyes looking around nervously. She took a long sip of her beer and licked her lips. Alex then leaned forward and snorted the first two lines, leaning back when he was done. "This is some awesome shit, Ken. It'll give you a high that you'll never forget. And," he paused and leaned over her, "It makes sex fantastic."

Derek clenched his fists. He didn't like the fact that Alex was pressuring Kendra to do cocaine. He hoped that Kendra had enough sense in that head of hers to say no and walk away. He waited for her reaction.

She sat there for a while, seemingly thinking about what to do. Just when Derek thought she had come to her senses and was leaving, she leaned forward and snorted a line. Derek let out a breath that he didn't know he had been holding. "Idiot." He said softly. Sam and Ralph looked at Derek with wide eyes. Sam shrugged his shoulders as if to say 'should we do something?' Derek shook his head. He didn't come here for this, he came to find any evidence and hopefully bust someone in the act of assault. 'Shit. Maybe we should just place an anonymous call to the police.' Derek thought morosely, because all he was accomplishing was becoming a peeping tom and exposing himself to things he never wanted to see again.

They watched for a while longer, Derek hoping to catch Alex doing more taping, but nothing else happened, and when Kendra and Alex started undressing each other, Derek had enough. He waved for Sam and Ralph to follow him. Sam did, but Ralph seemed to want to stay there and watch. He only left after Sam went back and grabbed Ralph's arm, dragging him away from the window.

They went back to the Prince and got in, no one saying much on the way back to Sam's. Finally Sam spoke up. "Well, that was a bust."

Ralph snorted. "Yeah, that dude Alex gets more ass than a toilet seat."

He was the only one who laughed.

**Review please!**


	26. Chapter 26

**Disclaimer:** You know I own nothing, so quit askin'!

**Chapter Twenty-Six: The Announcement**

Having a big breakfast on Sunday was a tradition in the McDonald/Venturi household. On this morning, they were gathered around eating the pancakes that Casey made (she even made a batch of chocolate chocolate chip for Derek) and chatting.

"Everyone," Nora's voice interrupted the various conversations around the table, "George and I have an announcement." Nora said, looking at her husband with a smile on her face.

"What now? You're already pregnant, so it can't be that." Marti blurted out. The rest of the kids busted up, and Edwin laughed so hard that juice came out of his nose.

"Marti!" George said. "That's not appropriate."

"What's not appropriate is my mom being pregnant at 42 . . ." Lizzie mumbled to herself. Casey looked sharply at her and motioned with her head to knock it off. It was unproductive thinking and would only hurt their mom's feelings. However, as Casey looked back at Nora to gauge her reaction, she noticed that Nora had what looked like a hickey on her neck. Geez! Not helping!

Nora went on as if nothing happened. "Anyway, as I was saying, George and I have exciting news." She paused for effect.

"Well, spit it out already!" Derek said impatiently.

Nora gave him a disapproving look and said, "We're going on a family vacation! Isn't that great!"

"Yay!" Marti yelled, her arms in the air. "Where are we going? DisneyWorld? A tropical island? The mountains?"

The reactions from the other kids, however, were less than exciting. Lizzie was reluctant to go because things with her and Jamie were just starting to go well, Derek didn't want to be stuck in close quarters with Casey, Casey didn't want to be stuck in close quarters with Derek or Edwin, and Edwin, well, he was pretty pleased, actually. He managed to keep his face blank, but the thought of spending time with Casey always made him happy. Having the rest of the family around wasn't the best scenario; however, he could make it work. He wanted every chance he could get to show Casey how much she meant to him.

Marti was chanting, "Where are we going? Where are we going? Where are we . . .?"

"Marti, enough. Let Nora talk, OK?" George said, his hand on her shoulder.

"OK, Daddy." She smiled sweetly and turned her attention to Nora. Casey smiled.

"Well," Nora continued, "We're going to British Columbia!" Nora said, her voice sounding like she was saying "Ta Da!"

Derek and Casey looked at each other, as did Edwin and Lizzie. Marti frowned.

"What's in British Columbia?" Lizzie asked.

"Well, Liz," said George, "Marti was right. We're going to the mountains! My boss has a cabin there." Derek groaned. George noticed. "Now, before all of you start complaining, I want you to know that this isn't just any old cabin in the woods. This is a _deluxe_ cabin. It has three floors, a home theatre system, a hot tub on the deck, did I mention that each floor has its own deck?, a foosball and ping-pong table, and tons of board games. It also has a fireplace in each bedroom, and," George paused, "we're close enough to Vancouver to go and see the sights of the city. So, how does that sound now?"

This made Lizzie warm up to the idea. "A hot tub, huh?" She got a thoughtful look on her face, "will we each have our own bedrooms?" This was a sticking point, because most of the time they went somewhere, they had to share space with each other, which always led to a blow-up of some kind.

"Yes, you each get your own room, isn't that great?" Nora said excitedly. "George and I have been saving up for this since we got married. We'll be flying out from Toronto to Vancouver two weeks from tomorrow. We wanted to give you," Nora's eyes darted between Casey and Derek, "time to notify your employers that you will be away. And Edwin, I know you're in training, but you'll just have to miss a week." Edwin nodded, not caring in the least. He already knew he was the best runner on the team and he had been working hard all summer to keep in shape. A week off wouldn't hurt anything. He pictured himself and Casey in front of the fireplace in his room, her skin shining in the firelight, his lips making a trail down her stomach . . . he shifted in his seat and hoped no one noticed his erection. 'Down boy,' he thought to himself. 'Think about butt-ugly nuns.' That seemed to help and he tuned back in to the conversation to hear Derek say that he couldn't go. "I just don't think I can get the time off," he was telling Nora. "I mean, I'm assistant manager now, and they don't have anyone else that can do my job. Plus, it's been really busy lately, so . . ."

"Derek. You _are_ going on this trip with us. And I'm sure they can find someone to fill in for you while you're gone." George's voice brooked no argument. He would have his whole family with him if he had to drag them. "If I were you, I would notify them today, to give them the best chance to cover for you. Same with you, Case." Casey nodded. A vacation in an awesome cabin in the mountains . . . with both Edwin and Derek . . . this could be really good, or really bad. She glanced at Edwin and found his gaze on her. She smiled at him and he discreetly gave her a wink. Casey's stomach did a flip and she felt moisture between her legs. Oh boy . . . how was she going to control herself around him?

She felt other eyes on her and noticed Derek was also staring at her, but his expression was one of dread. This confused Casey and she smiled brightly to try and cheer him up. Instead, he looked down quickly at his plate and shoved a forkful of pancake in his mouth, chewing slowly. Casey shrugged inwardly and returned her attention to George and Nora, who were talking excitedly about the trip. She smiled and let herself get swept in the conversation.

Later, Casey and Edwin were embroiled in a fierce game of Babe Raider when the doorbell rang. Marti ran to open the door. There stood Brett, holding a bouquet of flowers. "Well, hello Marti, how are you?" he crouched down to her eye level.

"Fine," Marti said shortly and turned to Casey. "Casey, it's your _boyfriend_." Marti's voice emphasized "boyfriend" snottily. Brett looked confused for a moment at Marti's attitude, but it seemed to pass quickly and he stepped inside.

Casey paused her game and jumped up. "Hey. What are you doing here? You know I'm still grounded." Casey looked around for her mom or George. "I'll get in more trouble if they know you're here."

Brett smiled. "Well, I don't want to get you in trouble. I just had to see you. I miss my girl." He smiled boyishly and thrust his hand out with the flowers in it. Casey took them and he pulled her into a hug, burying his face in her neck. Casey hugged back, but was distinctly aware of Edwin's eyes on her, which made her very uncomfortable. She pulled away and said, "You should go. I'll call you later, OK?" she smiled reassuringly at him, hoping he would get the hint.

He did and went to leave. "I'll talk to you later. Nice to see you again, Ed." Brett waved and went out the door, not giving Edwin a chance to respond.

Casey went to put the flowers in a vase and returned to the couch to finish her game with Edwin. He kept his eyes forward and said nothing about Brett's visit, which was just fine with Casey.

On Wednesday, George had to unexpectedly go out of town for a few days on business, and Nora decided to go with him and bring Marti along. Derek wanted to jump and down, but did a good job of playing it cool. Edwin, too, was happy for the respite from the 'rents. Of course, the kids were given a stern warning of "No parties!" before they left.

After working during the day, Casey was relaxing in the living room when her phone rang. "Hello?"

"Hey beautiful, how are you?" Brett said warmly.

"I'm fine, and yourself?" Casey asked, glancing at Edwin, who was sitting at the dining room table.

"I'm great. Do you have plans tonight?" Brett asked hopefully.

"No, why? What's up?"

"Well, there's this shindig that Alex is hosting . . ."

Casey interrupted. "Sounds great. When do I have to be ready?" She needed to get out of the house. Being around Edwin and Derek, especially, Ed, was driving her nuts.

"Be ready by 7 p.m. and wear something smokin'." Brett said jokingly. Casey rolled her eyes at this. "OK." They said their goodbyes and Casey went to make dinner.

An hour later, Casey, Derek, Edwin and Lizzie were all sitting at the dining table eating a casserole that Casey and Lizzie had made. "Hey, this is actually edible." Derek said with his mouth full.

"It's more than edible, it's fantastic!" Edwin raved. "Good job, girls." Both Casey and Lizzie smiled at this and Derek rolled his eyes.

"Derek, you and Ed should really do the dishes since me and Liz did the cooking." Casey said, taking a sip of her water.

Derek ignored her and continued eating.

"Derek, I know you heard me. And I'm going to assume that your silence means 'Yes, Casey, of course us guys will do the dishes!'" She smirked when he gave her a dirty look.

"Don't worry about it. We'll get them done." Edwin said.

Casey gave Edwin an earth-shattering smile and Edwin blushed. Derek made a choking sound and coughed loudly into his napkin. Everyone looked at him. "Are you OK?" asked Lizzie.

"Yeah, just went down the wrong pipe." Derek glared at Edwin, who stared back, unfazed.

Derek shoved himself away from the table and got up. "Well, as much fun as this family dinner has been, I have plans with Sally." He turned and went upstairs.

Lizzie spoke next. "Case, I'm heading over to Cindy's house for the night, OK?"

Casey thought about that. "Uh, Liz, I'm not sure if mom would like you staying over at a friend's house while they're out of town."

"I cleared it with mom before they left. She knows." Lizzie said.

"OK. Do you need a ride there?" Casey said, pushing away from the table.

"Nope. Cindy's mom is picking me up in a half an hour." Lizzie also got up and headed to the kitchen with her plate, leaving Edwin at the table to finish up the casserole, which he was doing with gusto.

Casey put her plate in the sink and went upstairs to get ready. Later, she heard the door shut, figuring it was Derek leaving. Which meant that Edwin was doing the dishes himself. 'Derek can be such a jerk sometimes.' Casey shook her head and continued to get ready for the party.

**Review please!**


	27. Chapter 27

**Note: Whew! This chapter exhausted me. I think I may need a few days to recuperate before updating again. Warning: This chapter contains excessive language, graphic sexual acts, non-consensual touching and violence. Be warned.**

**Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Party (Again!)**

"What to wear? What to wear?" Casey was saying to herself as she went through her closet. "He wants me to wear something smokin'." As she mumbled to herself she heard Lizzie call from downstairs. "Case, Cindy's mom's here, I'm leaving!"

"OK Liz, have a great time! And be good!" Casey yelled back. No doubt Lizzie was rolling her eyes at that.

At 6:45, Casey descended the stairs to find Edwin in the living room watching TV. He heard her approach and turned to glance at her – and promptly froze in shock.

Casey stopped on the landing and watched as Edwin's mouth gaped open and his eyes grew wide. "Casey, wha . . . why . . . ?" he sputtered.

She looked down at herself. She was wearing the shortest skirt she had, which came to just below her bottom and was black. On top she wore a red spandex shirt with spaghetti straps. She wore no bra, her nipples prominent. She had straightened her hair with a flat iron and her eyes were smoky black, making them stand out. Her lips were painted with a sheer gloss, and the skin of her shoulders was covered with glitter from the cream she had purchased recently. She wore large gold hoops in her ears and a gold bracelet on each wrist. The outfit was completed with black stiletto boots that came to just below her knees.

She looked back up at Edwin. "Problem, Ed?" Casey asked sassily. She continued down the landing and sat down in Derek's chair to wait for Brett.

Edwin continued to stare. "You look like a hooker." He blurted out.

Casey scowled. "Nice, Edwin, real nice. Brett said he wanted me to 'wear something smokin'" Casey used her fingers as quote marks.

Edwin's face darkened. "And if he asked you to jump off a bridge, would you do that too?"

"Oh, come on. You're overreacting." Casey said, tossing her hair over her shoulder.

Edwin got up and paced. "You would never dress like that if Nora and dad were home." His eyes looked accusatory.

"You're right, I wouldn't." Casey shot back smugly.

Edwin stopped pacing and stared at Casey. "So he wants you to wear something slutty. What are you, his arm trophy?" He blew out an angry breath and continued to pace. He stopped in front of Casey and put his hands on his hips. "Where are you going?"

Casey rolled her eyes. "You're not my father, Edwin, so stop acting like you are." She didn't know why she was being so snotty to him, she knew he was only acting out of concern _and jealousy_. "And I am _no one's_ trophy." She said, her anger boiling just below the surface.

Edwin didn't flinch. "Where. Are. You. Going?" He enunciated each word.

They stared each other down for a few moments before Casey sighed and spoke. "Brett is taking me to a party that Alex is throwing. Happy now?"

Edwin hid his panic. "Case, why don't you stay here tonight? We could hang out and watch movies, or play Babe Raider . . ."

"Ed, I'm going out with Brett tonight. I know you don't like it, but didn't we talk about this?" Casey pleaded with her eyes for him to understand.

"Case, this has nothing to do with whether I like it or not. It's . . ." he stopped and caught himself.

"What?" Casey said impatiently.

A horn honked from outside and Casey got up. "Look, I appreciate your concern, I really do." She moved toward Edwin and cupped his face with her hand. "But I can take care of myself." She dropped her hand and walked out the door. Edwin was disgusted. Brett didn't even have the class to get out of the car! 'What an asshole.'

He heard Brett's car leave and Edwin raced to the phone.

Derek was making a path with his mouth down Sally's stomach when his phone rang. He recognized the ring tone as the call coming from home and decided to let it go. "Derek, aren't you going to get that?" Sally gasped out as Derek's tongue darted in her bellybutton.

"Nope. Whatever it is, it'll just have to wait." Derek said before continuing down Sally's body.

"Oh, OK . . ." she breathed, her thighs tightening around Derek's head.

"Come on, come on," Edwin said, pacing back and forth. Derek wasn't picking up, the bastard! He slammed the phone down and thought. "Sam!" He picked up the phone and dialed, nearly dropping it in his haste. It automatically went to a recording: "The cell customer you are trying to reach is not available . . ."

"Dammit!" Edwin yelled. He was getting desperate. He tried Derek again, to no avail.

Pacing back and forth and running his fingers through his hair, Edwin thought of someone else. Ralph.

He struggled to remember the number, Ralph only giving it to him the day they all met at Sam's place. 'OK, was it 667-5498? Or 677-4578? Think, Ed, THINK!'

After a few minutes of second-guessing himself, he picked a number and hoped it was the right one. Two rings later, Ralph answered and Edwin wanted to drop to his knees and thank the heavens. "Yo." Ralph said.

"Ralph! It's Edwin. Listen, I need your help, Casey's in trouble. Brett took her over to Alex's for a party, and you should have seen how she was dressed . . . he told her to dress slutty, and Derek isn't answering his phone and I can't drive, so I need you to come pick me up and take meovertherebeforesomethingterriblehappens." Edwin babbled, taking a deep breath when he was done.

"Dude, you need to chill. I can't understand what you're saying. I'm at a party and everyone is talking really loud." Ralph yelled into the phone.

"You're at the party? Do you see Casey?" Edwin was getting excited now.

"Casey? Why would she be here?" Ralph sounded confused, which was nothing new.

"Aren't you at Alex's?" Edwin asked.

"Nooooo, I'm at my Grandma's house. We're having a birthday party for my mom." Ralph said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Edwin growled loudly and said, "Well, how far away are you? Cuz I need a ride to Alex's."

"Dude, I'm in Toronto. There's no way I can get there to give you a ride. I'm sorry Ed." Ralph really did sound sorry, and Edwin couldn't be mad at him. He knew that if Ralph was in town, he would be there in a heartbeat, ready and willing to kick some ass.

"It's OK, Ralph. I'll figure something else out." Edwin said, not believing his own words.

"I'll be thinking of ya, sending some good vibes your way, OK?" Ralph said hopefully.

"Yeah, thanks." Edwin said before hanging up. He was screwed.

A half an hour later, Derek decided he should call home and see what the problem was. His phone had rung multiple times, and each time he let it go to voice mail, not wanting to interrupt his time with Sally. Tonight, he had officially asked her to be his girlfriend, and she had promptly said "Yes!" before jumping him and showing him how excited she really was. He pressed 'Talk', which immediately dialed the last number that had called his phone.

Edwin had decided to take matters into his own hands and was putting on his shoes when the phone rang. He raced over to get it. "Derek?" He asked hopefully.

"Yeah, have you been calling me all night?" Derek asked, annoyed.

"Yeah, and why didn't you answer? If something happens to Casey because you didn't pick up your phone, I'm personally going to kick your ass. Now get over here and pick me up." Edwin ordered.

Derek's eyes widened at the forcefulness of Edwin's words and he felt his stomach jump into his throat. "What are you talking about, Ed?"

"Casey left earlier with Brett. He was taking her to a party at Alex's. Derek, she was dressed like a hooker!" Edwin was almost hyperventilating now.

"I'm on my way." Derek hung up and threw on his shirt. Sally sat up and looked at him quizzically.

"Derek, what's the matter? Where are you going? I thought we were going to watch a movie." Sally said.

Derek flicked a look at Sally before shoving his feet into his shoes. "Sorry Sal, but there's a family emergency. I have to get home." He grabbed his phone and his keys. "I'll call you later, OK?" He gave her a quick kiss before heading for the door.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Sally called.

"No, that's OK. Thanks anyway." Derek called back, the door slamming shut behind him. Sally sat there for awhile before shrugging and getting up to get a drink.

Edwin was waiting on the front porch when Derek came squealing around the corner and pulled up in front of the house. Edwin ran and jumped in the passenger seat. Derek made a U-turn and headed for Alex's. He could tell Derek was furious because he said nothing and kept his eyes straight ahead. Edwin also noticed that Derek had a death grip on the steering wheel, his knuckles almost white.

They made it there in record time, but both were puzzled at the lack of activity. It was totally dark. The street was empty of cars and Derek and Edwin looked at each other. "Ed, where is everybody? I thought you said that Brett was taking her here?" Derek spit out.

"She did. Casey said that Brett was taking her to a party hosted by Alex." Edwin said, picturing the conversation in his head. Casey sitting there, all haughty looking, those boots . . .

"Dammit, Ed! We have no idea where they are! They could be anywhere in the damn province for all we know! Fuck!" Derek slammed his fist on the steering wheel, accidentally causing the horn to beep. Edwin jumped at the noise.

"Stop yelling at me and let's try to find out where they are." Edwin said, trying to control his temper.

They sat for awhile, both brainstorming as to where they thought Casey could be. "I got it!" Derek said, pulling out his phone.

"What?" asked Edwin, getting excited.

Derek held up his finger to signal Edwin to hold on. "Kendra? It's Derek." Derek said nothing for a moment, listening to what was being said on the other end.

"Yeah, it's nice to talk to you, too. Hey, it sounds loud where you are. You're not at Alex's bash, are you?" Derek said, trying to keep his voice calm.

"You are? Hey, where is that? I'm at his house, and nobody's here." Derek looked at Edwin and smiled hopefully.

Derek's smile quickly disappeared. "You don't know? How can you not know?" Derek said, getting impatient. "No, I'm not yelling at you . . . I'm not! . . .Kendra, calm down, OK? I'm sorry if I upset you." Derek rolled his eyes at Edwin. "Why do I want to know so bad? Well, I want to see you, that's why." Derek paused, listening. "Yes, I've been thinking about you too." Another pause. "Well, that's very nice of you to say . . . I feel the same way about you." 'Lie, lie, lie,' thought Edwin. "OK, I'll wait while you ask for directions." Derek moved his mouth away from the phone. "Kendra's at the same party as Casey, but she doesn't know where she's at. She already sounds three sheets to the wind. She's asking someone for the address." Derek sat up straighter and listened intently. 'Kendra must be telling him how to get there.' Edwin thought, relieved. He hoped they weren't too late. '_Please, let us not be too late.'_

**A.N.: I thought about ending the chapter here, but I just couldn't do it. It would be cruel, and I don't want to do that to my loyal readers. ******

"You're where?" Derek's voice practically shouted. Pause. "I'm sorry, Ken. I was just expecting you to be a little closer than that. I'm really excited to see you." Derek was laying it on thick. They had been driving ever since he had gotten Kendra on the phone, and now Derek was getting on the highway toward Toronto. 'Shit,' thought Edwin, 'I hope we're not going all the way there.'

Derek eventually hung up after assuring Kendra that he would be there as soon as he could. Derek didn't feel guilty for leading Kendra on – anything to get to Casey. Kendra probably wouldn't remember anything tomorrow anyway.

"Derek, where are we going?" Edwin's anxious voice said from the passenger seat.

"Near Hamilton." Derek said shortly. "The warehouse district. I've heard about raves being held there, but I didn't think they were still happening." He was speeding and he hoped there were no cops around to bust him. Every second counted.

Edwin looked like he was going to tear his own hair out. "Hamilton? Fuck! That's going to take us forever!" Edwin was near whining now.

"Not the way I drive." Derek said resolutely.

Another half hour later, Derek exited the freeway and was slowly driving up and down streets looking for the address Kendra had given him. His frustration was building, and he felt like he could lose it at any minute. Every building looked the same, and it was hard as hell to see the addresses because of the poor lighting. Kendra had said that the building was abandoned and Derek figured it wouldn't be that hard to find the party. All he had to do was look for the staggering drunks and slutty-looking women hanging around.

Inside the warehouse, Casey was flying high, feeling the beat of the music in her bones. The lights were spinning wildly, making her dizzy. She felt hot, like her skin was burning up, but her body didn't want to stop moving to the beat. Brett was dancing in front of her, his hands on her waist. He had had a lustful look in his eyes ever since Casey entered the car.

_**Earlier:**__ Casey opened Brett's car door and got in, leaning over to give him a kiss. He kissed her then sat back and stared, taking in her appearance. "Babe, you look . . . well, there's not a word out there that describes how hot you are." _

_Casey smiled. 'Jackpot', she thought, pleased with her choice. They took off, heading in the opposite direction of Alex's house. "Where are we going?" asked Casey, glancing over at Brett, "Alex lives that way." Casey pointed behind her._

"_We're not going to Alex's. We're going somewhere else." Brett smiled at her. "I'm taking you to a rave. You'll love it." _

_Casey was excited. She had never been to a rave before. _

_Upon arriving at the location, which took longer than Casey thought it would, they parked the car and started walking. Casey was doubtful at first. "Are you sure this is the right place?" She asked, clasping Brett's arm and looking around. The area made her nervous, the buildings dark and foreboding. _

_Brett put his arm around her and squeezed her against his side. "Babe, don't worry about it. I'm going to give you the time of your life tonight." He smiled and they continued on, eventually hearing the faint beat of music as they approached a building. Brett led her through an alley to the back, where a beefy-looking guy was standing in front of a steel door. "Armando! My man! How are ya?" Brett shook the guys' hand._

"_Doing well, my friend. Go on in, they're expecting you." He nodded his head at Casey as she passed. _

_As Casey was about to enter the building, she turned back and glanced at Armando. He was staring at her with an eerie look on his face, and it made Casey's skin crawl. She moved closer to Brett and they went inside._

_Once there, Casey looked around at everything. The place was huge! There was a DJ on a platform scratching out tunes, and lights were spinning from the ceiling. The walls were painted black (or some dark color, Casey had trouble seeing) and there were crazy designs in neon colors painted over it. A make-shift bar was set up along one wall, where people were gathered. Casey recognized a few faces from Alex's parties and she spotted Kendra a ways away talking to a girl who Casey didn't know. Kendra noticed Casey and waved wildly, signaling that she would come talk to her later. Casey smiled and nodded._

"_Brett, who puts all this on?" Casey asked him._

"_Alex and a few of his friends pool their resources and rent it for the night." Brett said as his eyes scanned the room._

"_Do they do this a lot?" Casey was fascinated with the whole idea of being able to throw a huge party like this whenever they wanted._

"_Every couple of months or so. It's __the__ bash to be at." Brett kissed her cheek and moved away from her. "Would you like a drink? I'll get it for you." He said, his eyes moving down her body._

_Casey shifted from foot to foot, still taking everything in. "Yeah, sure. You know what I like." She smiled flirtily at him._

"_You bet I do." He smiled, " I'll be right back." He turned and headed toward the bar._

_A few minutes later, he returned with two cups and handed one to her. "Captain and Coke, just how you like it." He said, taking a sip of his drink._

"_Thanks, babe." Casey said, taking a big gulp. Brett really did know how she liked it! It was mixed perfectly, not too much Coke, not too much rum. _

_Brett spoke in her ear. "Hey, let's drink these quickly and go dance."_

_Casey agreed. She could feel her body already moving to the beat._

_**Back to the present: **_Casey was feeling weird. At first she thought that it was just the lights making her disoriented, but now she realized it was more than that. She'd had two drinks so far, not enough to feel like this, she thought. Her body was burning up and she felt an increasing throb between her legs. Her skin was tingling and she moved forward and put her arms around Brett, rubbing up against him. He wrapped his arms around her and they kissed fervently.

As time passed, Casey became more and more disaffected. She almost felt like she was floating off the ground. She watched Brett as he was dancing in front of her. 'He is sooo gorgeous.' Casey thought hazily. The throb between her legs was almost unbearable now and she resisted the urge to just shove her hand down her skirt and rub herself.

The music changed and Brett grabbed her arm, leading her away from the dance floor. "I'm really thirsty," Casey said. "Let's stop at the bar."

Brett turned to look at her. "Babe, why don't you wait here? There's a huge crowd and I don't want you to get trampled. I'll get it for you." He smiled charmingly and Casey wanted nothing more than to ravage him right there.

She grabbed his hand and kissed it. "OK, babe, but hurry back before I miss you." She said seductively.

Brett smiled and practically jogged up to the bar, shoving his way through the crowd.

While she was waiting, Casey's eyes scanned her surroundings. She spotted Kendra dancing in the middle of a group of people, her hips shaking wildly. She also noticed something else: there were a lot of people grinding up on each other and making out, some practically fucking on the dance floor. She had seen things like that before, but not to this extent. She thought it was a bit extreme.

Casey felt dizzy for a moment and she almost stumbled. "Whoa, be careful there, beautiful lady." A voice said in her ear. Casey turned and looked up into the face of Alex. She fought the urge to recoil. Casey had never warmed up to him. There was just something about him that set her on edge. 'He _was_ good-looking though.'

Casey righted herself. "Thanks." She craned her head to look for Brett.

Alex stood next to her. "You looking for Brett?"

'Yes, Captain Obvious,' thought Casey. "Yeah, he went to get me a drink. I'm afraid he could be awhile, and I'm really thirsty." Casey said, glancing at Alex before moving her eyes back over the crowd.

"Well, I'm sure he'll be back soon. He wouldn't dare leave such a delicious morsel like you alone for too long. Someone might come along and snatch you up." Alex's breath was in her ear now and his hand had found it's way to her ass. She felt him gently squeeze it.

'Who talks like that?' However, Casey was torn between being repulsed and aroused. Her mind was telling her to get the hell away from him. However, her body wanted to be touched, just not by him. She hoped that Brett would return soon.

Thankfully she saw Brett approaching and practically ran to him. "Brett! I'm so glad to see you!" Casey grabbed his arm, almost making him spill the drinks.

Brett looked annoyed for a minute, then his face changed. "Babe, I wasn't gone that long. What's the problem?" He handed her a cup and she drank greedily.

She chanced a look back at Alex, who was still there leaning against the wall and smirking at her. Casey could swear he was undressing her with his eyes. It was disturbing.

"Hey, do you want to go somewhere more private?" Brett asked. "Take a breather?"

Casey wanted to get as far away from Alex as possible. "Sure."

Brett led her to a corner of the room where there was a door that said "Stairs" on it.

He pushed it open and led her upstairs. At first it was pitch black. "I can't see a thing." remarked Casey.

"Just hang onto me." Brett said ahead of her. She grabbed his arm and continued to follow him through what seemed like a maze. Soon it became lighter and she gradually realized that they were in a hallway. There were many rooms on either side of them. Some of the doors were open, some closed. Finally, the hallway opened into a big room (not as big as downstairs), but sizeable enough that it was divided into sections by sheer curtains that were attached to the ceiling. Within each enclosure was either a bed or bean bags – something for people to lie and/or sit on. Small tables with candles or small lamps were interspersed throughout the room.

They weaved in and out of the curtains, and Casey was shocked by what she saw. It looked like a big orgy. People were nude, grinding on each other out in the open and not caring who saw them. Casey hazily wondered if the world hadn't gone crazy and she had just now noticed.

"Brett . . . what are they doing?" Casey asked dumbly.

"Babe, that's an obvious question, don't you think?" He continued to lead her through the rutting bodies. The room had a scent to it that she had never smelled. She could hear moans and the sound of people fucking. She was wildly turned on, and a little scared at the same time. "What's that smell?"

Brett stopped and looked at her. "You really _are_ innocent, aren't you?" He continued forward again, pulling her along. "It's the smell of people fucking, babe."

Outside, Derek and Edwin had found what they thought was the right building, but they couldn't find a door. "Come on," Derek said urgently, leading Edwin into an alley that led around the building. They came across what Derek guessed was a bouncer guarding the door. He put on his best "con" face. "Hey dude. What's the cover charge to get in?"

Armando looked at them dispassionately. "No cover charge." He stood with his arms crossed, like he was daring them to get past him.

"Sweet! So we can just go in?" Derek went to go around Armando when he felt an iron clasp on his arm.

"I didn't say that. I said there was no cover charge." He sneered. "You have to be on the list to get in. Are you on the list?"

'Fuck. Of course there's a list.' Derek thought, frustrated. 'Stay cool.'

"What list? I don't see you holding any list. Where is it?" Derek said jokingly.

"In here." Armando tapped his head.

Derek almost groaned. "Well, my name is probably not on the list, but one of the guests is expecting me." Derek hoped that this guy who resembled a small building would buy it.

"What's the name?" Armando barked out. During all this, Edwin was just trying not to scream and demand to be let in. He really didn't want his face dislocated by this guy.

"Uh, my name or the guests'?" Derek asked, winking.

Armando scowled. "The guest, asshole."

Edwin snickered.

"Uh, Kendra. Kendra Howe. You know her?" Derek hoped he did.

Armando's face didn't change. "Wait here." He turned and entered the building, slamming it securely behind him. Derek and Edwin waited, each fidgeting.

"Man, I hope this works. Otherwise, I don't know how else we're gonna get in." Edwin said, shifting from side to side.

"If it doesn't work, we'll figure out something, you can bet on that." Derek said stubbornly.

What seemed like hours later, Armando appeared with Kendra right behind him. "Derry! I knew you'd make it! I'm so glad to see you!" She rushed around Armando and jumped into his arms, almost knocking Derek over.

He steadied himself and wrapped his arms around her. "Hi Ken. Thanks for putting us on the list. Can we go in now?" He moved away from her to look at her face. Her pupils were dilated and her skin was flushed. She had a fine sheen of sweat covering her, and Derek thought he detected a bit of white powder under her nose.

"Of course! Follow me!" Kendra seemed to notice Edwin then. "Edwin! I didn't know you were coming! Oh my god, come here and give me a hug! You are getting so tall!" She practically tackled Edwin and hugged him tightly. "Mmmm mmmm mmmm, you are getting to be quite the hottie." She said flirtily. Edwin's eyes widened and he looked pleadingly at Derek, who rolled his eyes.

"Ken, sweetie. You're not gonna throw me over for my little bro, are you?" He reached out and snagged his arm around her waist, pulling her against his side. "Come on, let's go in and I'll show you how much I've missed you."

At this, Kendra giggled and led them into the building, passing a scowling Armando, whose eyes were burning holes in Derek's back.

Upstairs, Brett had led Casey to a secluded corner and laid her down on the bed, which was covered with a white sheet. The area was closed off with a white sheer fabric, giving them the illusion of privacy. However, Casey could still see everything that was going on around her.

Brett's mouth was on her neck and one hand was on her breast, gently squeezing. Casey wanted more friction between her legs and tried to rubbed herself on his leg. He grunted and somewhat forcefully pulled up her shirt above her breasts. "Babe, be careful, I don't want you to rip my shirt. It's new . . ." Casey said faintly. She was definitely feeling off now. Spinning, flashing lights, loud music – Casey was quite disoriented. Brett buried his face between her breasts and Casey turned her head to the side. She could make out two people on the bed next to her, which was only about 10 feet away, but divided by the sheer fabric. She squinted. It looked like Amy! But that definitely wasn't Max, Casey noted fuzzily. Whoever the guy was, he was fucking Amy into the mattress and she was panting loudly. Casey's eyes shifted back to Brett, who was now swirling his tongue around her nipple and trying to remove her panties. Without thinking, Casey lifted her rear end and let him pull them down her legs, discarding them on the floor. He leaned up and kissed her, and she closed her eyes, reveling in the sensation. She felt Brett's hand move up her leg and fondle her clit, flicking it. Casey jumped at the sensation, and she wrapped her arms around Brett and kissed him harder. Way into her subconscious, Casey heard a voice say, 'Do you really want to do this . . . with him?'

Yes, she did want to do this . . . but every time she closed her eyes, she didn't see Brett, she saw Edwin, and sometimes Derek. She opened her eyes and went still. Brett was still next to her with his mouth on her chest, but the hand between her legs wasn't his. It was Alex's! He was crouched next to the bed with a smirk on his face. She opened her mouth to speak and he put his other hand over her mouth. "Shhhh, just relax babe. Let me make you feel good."

At the sound of Alex's voice, Brett raised his head from Casey's chest and looked up. Casey was expecting Brett to jump up and tell off Alex for being there, but he didn't. He _did_ get up, but none of the rest happened. Instead, he motioned his hand toward Casey and nodded his head which Casey determined meant 'Go for it.' Alarmed, she tried to sit up, but Alex quickly sat down on the bed and blocked her with his arm. "Where you going, babe? Let's talk a bit while Brett gives us a minute."

Casey was very dizzy now, and her arms and legs felt like lead. She also felt like she was going to spontaneously combust. "Alex, what are you doing?" Casey mumbled out.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure you enjoy this." He leaned in and kissed her then, and Casey moved back toward the bed trying to avoid his lips. He continued to move over her and settled his full weight on her. Casey tried to struggle, in fact, in her head she was fighting ferociously, but she couldn't seem to make her limbs move. 'Oh my God. Help! Not with him, not with him!' Her voice sounded in her head. She turned her head to the couple next to her. Amy was still there, but in addition to the first guy, who had finished fucking her and was laying back on bed, another guy had joined the fray: Brett. Casey watched, confused as Amy went down on her knees and took out Brett's dick. She wasted no time and put her mouth on him. 'What the . . .' Casey was fading in and out now, looking at the ceiling as she felt Alex's hands all over her body, squeezing, grabbing and pinching. 'Get off, get off!' Casey tried to speak, but what came out sounded like gibberish.

Over Alex's shoulder, she glimpsed Brad, who she had met only a few times before. He was shirtless and was stripping his pants off. 'Oh no . . . NO!' Alex moved up from her neck, where he had been licking and biting, and kissed her hard. "I've been looking forward to this. Brett says you're a tease . . . we're gonna fix that."

"Hey!" Casey heard Brett yell from a few feet away. "I said _I_ have first dibs! You don't break into her until after I do." Casey wanted to sob, and she felt a tear leave her eyes and slowly make its way down her cheek. She looked at Brett again, who took his dick out of Amy's mouth and shoved her head back with his palm, making her fall back onto the floor. Amy sat up and wiped her mouth, then stood and walked away, totally naked. Brett came back and shoved Brad. "Back off, dude. It's not your turn yet."

Casey felt fingers inside her and she tried to struggle, but her legs were being held down by either Alex or Brad, as she could see Brett clearly to the side of her. He undressed and settled himself on top of her. "Case, these few weeks have been fun. You're a great girl. But I'm tired of waiting. Don't be scared. You'll enjoy it, I know you will."

Casey managed to shake her head 'No', and Brett added, "You may come off as innocent, but I know you want it. Look at the way you're dressed. I bet you'll be a real freak in bed." He bent his head and bit her neck. Casey saw Alex settle in near her head. He leaned over and pulled her shirt off, laying her bare to their gaze. Brett moved off Casey a bit and pulled her down the bed so her bottom was near the edge. He pushed her skirt up and for the first time, noticed her hairless skin. "Oh my god. You're even better than I imagined." He breathed.

Casey's mouth continued to open and close and she desperately tried to speak, but all that came out were moans. She heard Alex say, "Oh man, I can't wait to hit that. Get moving, dude. I can't wait." He said as one hand covered her breast and the other palmed his dick through his pants.

'Oh god, they're going to rape me.' Casey thought frantically.

Downstairs, Derek allowed Kendra to lead him by the hand into the throngs of people. He was getting slightly dizzy from all the strobe lights going off and he almost tripped a few times. Edwin was close behind him, his head craned to see over all the people. Kendra brought them to the dance floor and started to move, her hold on Derek tightening. "Dance with me, Derry." She glanced at Edwin. "You too, Edwin. I want to dance with _two_ hot brothers." She ground herself onto Derek, whose head was moving back and forth, eyes scanning the room.

Derek pushed Kendra away. "Ken. Have you seen Casey?"

"Casey?" Kendra said like she had never heard the name before. "I did earlier. She was with Brett, then I saw her talking to Alex." Kendra started moving to the music again.

Derek and Edwin exchanged looks. "Where is she?" Edwin stepped forward and grabbed Kendra's shoulders.

Kendra looked surprised at Edwin's grasp. "Ow, Edwin, you're hurting me." She whined, making both Edwin and Derek want to slap her.

Derek moved between Edwin and Kendra until Edwin dropped his hands from her shoulders. "Kendra, there's a family emergency. I need to find Casey. Now." He added seriously.

Kendra's eyes focused on Derek and she bit her lip. She didn't want Derek to be mad at her. "Well, since I haven't seen her down here lately, I think she's probably upstairs." Kendra pointed to the ceiling. Derek instinctively looked up, even though he knew he would only see the ceiling.

"How do you get up there?" He was getting frantic now, and he could practically feel Edwin's tension.

"In the corner. There's a stairway . . ." Kendra didn't finish, as she was watching Derek and Edwin plow their way through the crowd, knocking people on the ground in their haste. Kendra ran after them, wanting to help. "Derek! Edwin! Wait!" She called after them, but they were already on the other side of the room and through the door.

On the second floor, Derek and Edwin couldn't see a thing at first, and they were stumbling over each other. "Shit!" Edwin said after tripping over Derek for the fourth time. "I can't see a damn thing!"

Derek said nothing, but continued to move forward. 'Casey. Casey. Casey.' He chanted her name in his head. If something happened to her, he would murder Brett.

They finally came out of the dark hallway to a large room that was divided into little sections by what looked like the material you see wedding veils made of. There were candles scattered all over (a fire hazard, Derek noted idly), as well as small lamps.

But it was what was happening in the little sections that caused Derek and Edwin to stop in their tracks and want to rub their eyes. People. Lots of people. Having sex. It was like a huge gangbang, which if Derek were in his room watching a porno would be hot, but knowing Casey was in there somewhere made him want to vomit. Edwin let out a noise that sounded like an anguished animal. He too, was thinking the worst.

Derek snapped himself out of it and starting moving through the room, looking everywhere to see if he could spot Casey. "Casey!" Derek yelled, but his voice seemed to get swallowed up by the music down below. "Case!"

"Casey!" Edwin joined in, sounding desperate. "Case, are you in here?"

Derek did a double take when he spotted a girl with long dark hair being fucked from behind. The hair was covering her face and he sprang forward, parting the filmy fabric. "Casey!" He shouted. The girl raised her head and Derek was both relieved and disappointed that it wasn't her. They needed to find Casey and get her the hell out of here. She was in way over her head.

Edwin was thinking the same thing and blinking back tears. 'Keep it together, Ed, Casey needs you. God, I love her so much . . .' Edwin swiped at his eyes with his fingers.

Derek and Edwin made their way through the room, seeing people in various stages of undress and performing various sexual acts. Derek thought he wouldn't have to watch another porno ever again, because he had seen everything he needed and/or wanted to see for the rest of his life. The worst part was, he recognized some people from school! He would never be able to look at them the same way again.

They bypassed any thing you could imagine: girl/guy, girl/girl, two girls with one guy, and Derek thought he saw two guys together but quickly looked away. His stomach felt nauseous as he breathed in the air laden with the pungent odor of sex.

"Casey!" Derek yelled at the top of his lungs.

Casey heard what she thought was Derek's voice calling her. 'Derek! Help me!' She opened her mouth to scream but it was covered by Alex sticking his tongue in her mouth. She gagged and tried to move her head away. Brett was down below, his tongue making its way up her leg toward her center.

"Casey!" Now it was Edwin's voice, and she thought she must be hearing things.

Derek caught sight of Brad standing in the corner and headed for him. He figured that wherever Brad was, Alex and Brett weren't far away. He started running and Edwin followed close on his heels.

Derek could see Alex now, sitting on the bed leaning over someone. Brett was on the other end, his head obscured by a girl's legs. _Casey!_ "Goddamn it! Get off her!" Derek launched himself at Brad, who was blocking his path. Filled with a rage he never felt before, he punched hard into Brad's face, hearing the 'crack!' of a bone.

Brad dropped like a stone, holding his nose. Meanwhile, Edwin was tearing Brett away from Casey, who was laying on the bed topless, her skirt around her waist and her legs spread. For a brief second Edwin glimpsed her bare skin before Derek quickly pulled her skirt down.

"What the fuck?" Brett said, getting up and charging at Edwin, who ducked and then punched Brett in the side, making him gasp and go down to his knees. Edwin knew that he and Derek had an advantage because they were sober and these douchebags weren't.

Suddenly, Alex jumped up and went after Derek, who was trying to get Casey's shirt over her head. He punched Derek in the side of the head, knocking him off the bed and onto the floor. Edwin could hear Brad moaning in the corner and Brett struggling to get up.

"Derry, are you OK?" Kendra said, coming on the scene.

"Kendra, get out of here." Derek ordered her, but she didn't move, taking everything in with wide eyes.

Alex went after Derek again with a yell and Edwin intercepted him, charging back and shoving him into the wall. He got a chokehold on him and started squeezing. Alex's eyes widened and he was clawing at Edwin's hands trying to loosen the grip around his neck. Edwin knew he should lay off, but he just couldn't. He wanted Alex to die for hurting Casey. Behind him, he could hear Derek and Brett tousling. Surprisingly, no one came to help, but Edwin could feel multiple pairs of eyes on them, people gathering to watch the fracas.

"You fucker. I'm gonna kill you." Edwin heard Derek say in a deadly voice. Alex had wedged his fingers under Edwin's grip and tore Edwin's hands off his neck, gasping. Alex bent over and tried to catch his breath and Edwin shoved his elbow into Alex's back between his shoulder blades, making him fall.

Edwin turned to see how Derek was doing and noticed that he was getting pummeled by Brett, who was on top of Derek. Edwin jumped on Brett's back and tore him off Derek, punching his fist into the side of Brett's face. Blood was flying and Edwin felt a sick sense of satisfaction at knowing that he was making Brett bleed. Derek propped himself up on his elbows and shook his head to clear it. Edwin, still whaling away at Brett, noticed that Derek's left eye was swollen and his lip was bloodied. This made Edwin angrier and he let out a loud growl. Derek rose from the ground and headed over to Casey, who was still on the bed, although she was struggling to move. Her chest was still bare and Derek gave up trying to get her shirt back on and ripped his own off and pulled it over her. She looked at him then, her eyes terrified and her mouth moving. 'Thank you.' She mouthed to Derek, who cupped her cheek with his hand. "You're OK now, Case, everything's going to be OK." Derek assured her.

The sound of someone gasping to breathe tore Derek's gaze from Casey and he jumped up when he noticed Alex choking Edwin from behind. "You fucking Venturis. You should mind your own business." Alex was saying as his grip tightened. Derek flew at Alex and kicked him hard in the groin, making him let go of Edwin.

Derek grabbed Alex's hair and punched him in the face over and over again. "Don't" _punch_ "You" _punch_ "Ever" _punch_ "Mess" _punch_ "With" _punch_ "My family again." _punch._

Derek let go of Alex and he dropped like a stone, out cold. Derek looked around. Brad was in the corner moaning and holding his nose, Brett was on the ground on his side holding his face and Alex was on the floor, out cold. Derek looked at Edwin. He had a few scratches and bruises forming, but he didn't look bad. Derek could tell his own left eye was in the process of swelling shut and he felt blood dripping from his lip.

"Let's get out of here." Derek said to Edwin, who nodded his head. They both moved toward Casey and helped her up. The each put an arm around her and started walking out, basically dragging Casey, as she couldn't (or wouldn't) walk. Derek stopped for a moment. "Ed, take Casey for me." He let go of Casey and strode toward Kendra, who was backing away until she ran into the wall.

"Come on. You're coming with us." Derek grabbed Kendra by the arm and starting pulling her with him.

Kendra knew better than to argue.

**Review please!**


	28. Chapter 28

**Disclaimer:** Nothing, nothing, nothing.

**Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Aftermath**

The drive home was silent except for the quiet sobbing of Casey coming from the backseat. Edwin was beside her, his arms around her. Kendra was in the front seat next to Derek. "Derek . . ." she started.

"Not now." Derek put his hand up to signal for her to be quiet. He was having trouble seeing out of his swollen eye, and he needed all the concentration he had in order to get them home safely. Kendra shut her mouth and turned her head toward the window, not daring to speak again.

By the time they reached Kendra's place, Casey had her head resting on Edwin's lap and her body was curled on the seat. She had stopped crying and the only sound Derek heard coming from her were occasional sniffs. His eyes met Edwin's in the rearview mirror. Casey was going to have to deal with this, and they knew they would both be there to help her.

Derek pulled in front of Kendra's house and cut the engine. "I'll be right back." He threw over his shoulder to Edwin as he opened the door. Kendra mutely followed.

Together they walked silently to the front door, Kendra stopping and turning to Derek. "Is Casey going to be OK?" she asked fearfully.

Derek didn't answer, instead taking a moment to run his eyes over Kendra's appearance. There was a time when he thought she was the most beautiful girl in the world. He would have done anything for her. Of course, he hid it well, but at one time, he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. He examined her closer. Her hair was matted and sweaty and her makeup had pretty much been rubbed off. Derek ran his eyes down her body. She was wearing a top that emphasized her breasts and a tight pair of pants. On her feet were red stilettos.

"What happened to you?" Derek asked, shaking his head. "I don't know you anymore."

Kendra's lip trembled and her eyes filled with tears. "Derry . . ."

"Dammit, Ken! Do you know who you're hanging out with? What almost happened to Casey could have happened to you!" Derek was pacing in front of her and she was trying not to start sobbing. Derek took a deep breath and turned to face Kendra. "Get yourself together before something terrible happens and you catch something." He put his hands on her shoulders. "I'm sorry for yelling at you. I just don't want you to get hurt."

Kendra choked back a sob and moved into Derek's arms. "You always take care of me." She paused and moved back to look at him, her hand going up to cup his cheek. "Derek, do you think we could give it another try? I promise I'll stop hanging out with Alex and those people. I miss you so much . . ." Derek was already shaking his head.

"It's too late, Ken." He looked into her eyes. "But I will be your friend." He smiled and hugged her. Moving away, he said, "Now get inside and get some sleep, OK?" Kendra nodded and quickly kissed his cheek before opening the door and going inside.

Edwin was watching their exchange with interest. He couldn't hear their conversation, but he could guess what was being said. Edwin just hoped that Kendra would listen and straighten up her act. Before it was too late.

Casey stirred on his lap and he glanced down at her. She was falling asleep, but he could tell she was fighting it. Her eye makeup had run down her cheeks and dried, leaving black trails. Her nose was red and her eyes were swollen. Her formally straight and shiny hair was tangled and messy.

Edwin thought she was beautiful. He stroked her hair and she snuggled closer to him, bringing a smile of contentment to Edwin's face. He hoped one day soon they could be like this without all the horrible drama.

Derek returned to the car and they headed for home.

A few minutes later, they pulled into the driveway and Derek got out, opening the back door. "Ed, hand her to me." Derek ordered. Edwin helped Casey sit up and with more strength than Edwin thought he had, Derek gently scooped Casey up in his arms, carrying her bridal style. "Get the door, will ya?"

Edwin exited the car and ran ahead of Derek to unlock and open the back door. "I can take her now." Edwin said to Derek as they entered the kitchen.

"Nah, I got her." Derek said as he carefully maneuvered Casey up the stairs, her head lolling on his shoulder. She had her arms draped loosely around Derek's neck.

Edwin followed behind, making sure that Derek didn't accidentally bump Casey's head into anything. Derek turned sideways to enter through the door of Casey's bedroom, and he gently laid her on the bed. He straightened up and blew out a breath, stretching out his back. They stood there for a moment watching Casey, who was shifting slightly on the bed.

"We should get these clothes off her and put something she can sleep in comfortably on." Derek said, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

Edwin said nothing, but moved forward and unzipped Casey's boots, removing them one at a time. When they were off, he put them into her closet. He knew for a fact that Nora didn't know Casey owned such footwear, and she wouldn't like it if she did.

Derek went to Casey's dresser and opened the drawers, looking for her pajamas. He found the pink pair that she liked to wear quite often and took them out. 'How to get her undressed without seeing anything?' It was very important to Derek that they treat Casey with the respect she deserved. Especially after the violation she suffered tonight. Not all men were pigs. Edwin looked at Derek questioningly as Derek started to button up Casey's pajama top. "What are you doing?" he asked.

Derek said nothing, instead moving forward to pull Casey up to a sitting position. She jumped and her eyes snapped open. "Stop!" She yelled, frightened.

"Case, it's only us, Derek and Edwin. You're OK." She settled then and slumped over onto Derek. "Ed, come over here and help me." Derek said softly.

Edwin immediately moved forward and sat down on the other side of Casey on the bed. "What do you want me to do?" he asked Derek.

"We need to get my shirt off of her and get this pajama top on without seeing anything." Derek said, looking at Edwin seriously.

Edwin nodded, completely understanding where Derek was coming from. "OK," Edwin paused, trying to think of an idea. Something popped into his head. "How about we both get behind her, us holding her up, and you pull your shirt off her, then I slip her pjs over her head?"

Derek said nothing, thinking it over. "You know, it sounds like too much work to me. Why don't we just keep my shirt on her and just put on her pajama pants. That's not too hard, we'll just slip them on under her skirt, then slip the skirt off over them."

Edwin agreed. "Sounds like a plan." They gently laid Casey back on the bed and slid the pj pants up her legs. As they got higher, Derek caught a glimpse of bare flesh and flinched. "Shit."

"What?" Edwin asked, alarmed.

"She's not wearing underwear. We must have left them there, unless she was never wearing any in the first place." Derek didn't want to think about that.

"Oh." Edwin said, uncomfortably. "Just pull them up fast and don't look."

Derek said nothing, but did as Edwin said. Once the pjs were on, Derek unzipped the skirt and slid it down her legs. "We need to clean her up a bit." Derek added, referring to the mess on Casey's face.

"I'll take care of it." Edwin said before leaving for the bathroom.

While waiting for Edwin to return, Derek sat down next to Casey. She was pretty much out of it, and Derek was worried. What had she taken? Was she drunk, or did they drug her, or both? He made up his mind right then that he had to stay and watch over her all night to make sure she didn't fall unconscious or something. In fact, Derek thought belatedly, they should have taken her right to the hospital to get her stomach pumped. He didn't completely rule that out. "Casey?" He said, gently grasping her shoulder. "Case, wake up."

Casey moaned and she moved her head, her eyes squinting open. "Derek?"

He smiled. "Yeah. I need you to wake up for me. I need to talk to you about what happened tonight."

Casey looked at him blankly for a moment before realization dawned on her face and she crumbled, starting to cry again. Derek felt horrible about upsetting her and moved to take her into his arms, his hands gently rubbing her back. "Casey, it's OK. Don't cry, you know I don't do well with tears." He said, hoping that would make her laugh.

She didn't laugh. Instead, she cried harder. 'Oh god,' thought Derek. "Shhhhh . . . you're OK now. You're safe." Derek said in her ear. She was clutching at him desperately, her hands clasping at his skin. He remembered with a start that he was shirtless, having surrendered his shirt to Casey at the party. She was sobbing so hard now that she was hiccupping. "Casey, take a deep breath." Derek said, smoothing her hair down her back with his hands.

Casey gasped and tried to calm her breathing, but she didn't let up on her grip on Derek. Edwin entered the room and stopped short when he realized that Casey was awake and crying again. He stood in the doorway for a moment looking lost, then seemed to get a handle on himself and moved forward, setting the items in his hands on Casey's desk.

"What did you bring?" Derek asked, eyeing the baby oil, cotton balls and wet washcloth on the desk.

"Casey uses this," Edwin said gesturing to the cotton balls and baby oil, "to remove her eye makeup." He said with an obvious tone.

Derek looked at him for a moment. "OK." Usually he would have insulted Edwin for being too much like a girl, but he didn't have the energy for it. Derek tried to disengage Casey's arms from him. "Case, we need to clean you up a bit, OK?"

Casey had stopped sobbing and slowly raised her head to look at Derek. What he saw in her eyes jolted him. There was sorrow, fear, and also a strange blank look that scared Derek more than he cared to admit. He was afraid that Casey was already trying to compartmentalize what happened tonight. He knew that if she were to truly get past this, she would have to deal with it, not pretend it didn't happen. Derek turned to Ed. "Bring the stuff over here."

Edwin complied, bringing the items over and setting them on the bed. He opened the baby oil and squirted a bit of it into the cotton balls. "Case, I'm just gonna clean your makeup off for you, OK?" He asked softly. He didn't want to do anything to spook her.

Casey nodded, but said nothing. Edwin slowly reached out his hand and grasped Casey's chin, gently moving her head toward him. Their eyes only met for a moment before Casey looked away. Edwin brought the cotton balls up to her face and said, "Close your eyes, sweetie."

Casey did as she was told, letting Edwin gently wipe away the mascara from her lashes and cheeks. Edwin talked softly to Casey while he worked, assuring her that she was doing well, while Derek looked on wordlessly.

Edwin finished removing the makeup and got up. He threw the cotton balls in Casey's trash and retrieved the washcloth. "I'm gonna go warm this up again." He said before leaving. A few minutes later he was back, gently using the cloth to wipe Casey's face clean. All through it, Casey sat there silently, looking like a little girl about to get punished. "There." Edwin leaned back and inspected his work. "Case?" he asked gently, "would you like to use the bathroom and brush your teeth before bed?" He realized that he sounded like an adult who was talking to a child.

Casey nodded and went to rise, but her legs wobbled and she plopped back on the bed, an anguished cry escaping from her lips. Derek slipped his arm around her and gently supported her as they both rose from the bed.

"I'll take her." Edwin said a bit forcefully. While Edwin appreciated Derek's help more than he could ever express, he felt that Casey should be looked after by the man who was in love with her. Him, not Derek.

Derek's eyebrows rose, but he said nothing, not wanting to start an argument with Casey there. "Whatever." He said, relinquishing his hold on Casey.

Edwin took over and led Casey to the bathroom, getting her toothbrush ready for her. "I'll be right out here, honey, OK?" Edwin said softly, noticing Casey's panicked look.

She nodded imperceptibly and slowly closed the door.

Derek went into his room and inspected his face in the mirror. His eye was turning a vicious shade of black and was nearly swollen shut. His lip was swollen and there was dried blood on his chin and cheek. Derek sighed and ran his hand through his hair. He grabbed a shirt from his floor and threw it on, then sat on his bed to wait for Casey.

Edwin was waiting in the hall outside the bathroom. He was pacing back and forth and gnawing at his lip. What it just him, or was Casey taking forever? He lightly knocked on the door. "Case? You almost done?"

Silence. "Casey, is everything OK in there?" Edwin's voice cracked.

Still nothing. Edwin was getting nervous. He twisted the knob, slowly opening the door. He stuck his head in the looked around. No sign of Casey. 'What the fuck?' Edwin whipped his head around looking for her. There was no window in the bathroom, so she couldn't have climbed out. And he was outside the door the whole time. She didn't disappear into thin air. Edwin heard a sniffle behind him and whipped around to find Casey curled into a ball behind the door. His heart went out to her and he dropped to his knees in front of her. "Oh Casey," he said, gathering her into his arms.

Edwin felt Casey's arms creeping around his body and clutch at him tightly. He vowed to see her through this. "Case, come on, let's get you in bed." He moved away and slowly helped her up. She kept her arm around his waist and laid her head on his shoulder.

Derek heard the bathroom door open and went into the hallway to see Edwin and Casey head for her room. He allowed them to go first, then followed. "Derek, get the bed ready." Edwin ordered.

Derek moved in front of them and turned down the bed. He also fluffed the pillow, which made Edwin's eyebrow raise. Edwin sat Casey down and gently laid her back, tucking the sheet and cover around her. "Get some sleep, babe." He leaned over and kissed her forehead. Moving back he went to leave the room, but stopped short when he noticed that Derek wasn't following him. "Derek, come on. She needs to sleep." He motioned his head for Derek to follow.

Derek shook his head. "I'm staying here."

Edwin frowned. He glanced at Casey and said, "Can I talk to you outside for a sec?"

Derek quickly looked at Casey, then followed Edwin out to the hallway. "What?"

"Derek, Casey needs to sleep whatever was given to her off. Don't you think it would be better if you weren't in there bothering her?" Edwin said shortly.

Derek crossed his arms. "As usual, you know nothing." Edwin scowled at this. Derek continued, "Someone needs to wake her up once an hour to make sure she doesn't lapse into a coma or something. We have no idea how much she drank and what, if anything, she took. In fact, we probably should have taken her directly to the hospital."

Edwin stood there, not saying anything. He couldn't argue with what Derek was saying. "OK, fine. But _I'm_ going to be the one to stay with her." He said resolutely.

Derek rolled his eyes. "Dude, now is not the time to measure whose dick is bigger, alright? This is what's best for Casey. And I have experience in this sort of thing. You don't."

"What the hell does that mean? That you're used to hanging out with druggies and alcoholics?" Edwin huffed.

Derek stepped into Edwin's space. "Look, I am not going to argue with you on this. Go to bed. I've got it." He turned and went into Casey's room, shutting the door behind him.

Edwin stood there for a moment, staring at the closed door. He was beyond angry, but his concern for Casey trumped that, and he went downstairs to watch TV. He didn't think he would get any sleep that night.

Derek leaned against Casey's door and looked at her. She seemed to be sleeping fitfully, curled amongst her covers and clutching her pillow. He went and sat down on her desk chair, turning it to face the bed. He stretched his legs out and crossed his ankles, then settled in for a sleepless night.

"No. Stop. Don't. Get off me! Not with you, not with you!" Casey's voice woke Derek, who jumped, causing him to fall off Casey's chair onto the floor.

"What the . . .?" Derek shook his head and rubbed his eyes. He was disoriented for a moment, not used to the surroundings.

He heard Casey's anguished moaning and shot to his feet, sitting on the bed next to her and gently shaking her shoulder. 'Dammit! I must have fell asleep.' "Case, wake up. It's Derek."

"No! Quit touching me!" She was tossing and turning, still not awake.

"Casey!" Derek raised his voice, hoping that it would penetrate into her subconscious.

Casey's eyes snapped open and she turned her head. She was breathing heavily from her dream and her eyes focused on Derek. "Oh god." she said, before sitting up and burying her face into Derek's shoulder.

'Not again.' Derek thought, dismayed. He seriously couldn't handle Casey's tears. He understood why she was upset, obviously, but seeing her in pain made him want to hurt someone or destroy something. He took a deep breath to calm himself. "I'm here, I'm here," he repeated soothingly.

She continued to sob, her tears soaking his shirt. Her breath tickled his neck, and Derek resisted the urge to move away. Casey needed him right now. "Do you want to talk about it?" he ventured.

Casey violently shook her head no. She moved back slightly and looked at him. "Don't leave me, Derek, please. I can't be alone tonight." She begged.

"I've been here the whole night, Case. I wanted to make sure you were alright." He said, his hand caressing her cheek.

She stared at him for a moment, a small smile forming on her face. She laid back on the bed and tugged on his arm to follow her. Derek sat there a moment, thinking about what the right thing to do was. He knew that Casey needed comfort, and he was going to be there for her. Nothing was going to happen, because he would never try anything on a girl who'd been assaulted. He wasn't a monster.

Derek lay down next to Casey and drew the covers over himself. She scooted next to him and snuggled into him, her head on his chest and her arm over his stomach. "Move your head a sec," Derek said. She obliged and he wrapped his arm around her back, his fingers stroking her arm.

Casey seemed to realize just then that she was wearing Derek's shirt. She looked up at him curiously, and Derek said, "We'll talk about it later, OK?" She nodded and laid back down, closing her eyes.

Derek lay there for a while before drifting into an uneasy sleep.

Casey, however, had trouble getting back to sleep. Everytime she closed her eyes, all she could she was Alex's leer as he shoved his fingers into her. She shuddered and burrowed into Derek's side. In his sleep, he squeezed her tighter. 'We may fight, but when things are bad, he's always here for me.' She moved her hand over his chest, rubbing it against the fabric of his shirt. Derek shifted and he turned his head toward her. She moved back out of his arms a little and studied Derek's face. She could faintly see from the moonlight on his face that his left eye was blackened and swollen. His lip was also puffy and there were dark smudges on his chin and cheek that Casey assumed was blood. Here he was so busy looking out for her that he didn't take care of himself. She felt a rush of gratitude and something else and she moved to hug him tightly. Shifting back again, she traced her fingers over his eyebrows, down his cheek to his jaw line. She would make sure tomorrow that he cleaned his wounds out so there would be no infection.

Casey wanted to take care of Derek like he was taking care of her. She thought again about what had happened that night. How could she be so wrong about Brett? He came off as the perfect guy, which, now, Casey thought, should have tipped her off. There is no such thing as the perfect guy. And Marti's reaction to him? She almost slapped herself on the forehead. Duh! Red flags should have been popping up all over. Marti had a strange way of figuring out people pretty quickly. And she had never warmed up to Brett. Casey figured that she (Casey) was just in denial and refused to see what was right in front of her. She almost started crying again. Casey felt so used and dirty. She wanted to get in the shower and scrub herself until her skin was red and raw. On a whim, she leaned forward and touched her lips gently to Derek's. She needed him. He would take care of her. He would take it all away.

Derek came to awareness to feel pressure on his lips. His eyes shot open to see Casey kissing him. He snapped his head back. "Casey, what are you doing?"

Startled, she licked her lips. "I wanted to take care of you." She said in a small voice.

Derek was confused. "What . . .?" He shook his head. "What do you mean?" he asked dumbly.

"Derek," Casey said softly, "You're always taking care of me. I want to take care of you."

"Take care of me? What, with sex?" he said incredulously. Noticing the hurt look on Casey's face, he backtracked. "Case, I'm taking care of you because I care about you. Not to get something in return."

Casey started sniffling again. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to insult you."

Derek was getting annoyed. Where was the girl with the high self-esteem and sassy demeanor? He wasn't used to the weak, fragile girl in front of him. "Casey, you didn't insult me. It's just not the right time for this." He tried to let her down easy.

Casey clutched at him desperately. "OK, if you won't let me take care of you, then I need you to do me a favor." She said seriously.

"What?" Derek asked wearily.

"I feel so dirty. So used. Help me." Casey pleaded with her eyes.

"Help you what?" Derek asked. 'Déjà vu,' he thought, his mind flashing back to that night . . .

"I want you." She paused, "I want you to be my first." She took a breath and looked up at him.

Derek almost fell out of bed. His first reaction was relief at hearing that she was still a virgin, then: 'Oh god. I can't do this again, and I especially can't be the one who takes her virginity!' He shook his head. "Case, I would do almost anything for you, but I can't do that."

"But why?" She asked. "You know I trust you. I know you would be gentle with me, and I need to forget about what happened. I want to make a new memory of tonight, so when I think back, I can console myself with the fact that it wasn't all bad, and something wonderful came out of it." Her eyes bore into his and he closed his to avoid her look.

"Casey, I sort of understand where you're coming from, but I can't do it. I _won't_ do it." He took a deep breath. "I have a girlfriend now, Case. I can't do that to her."

Casey wanted to scream. She hated Sally more than ever, and she especially hated when Derek talked about her. She got a hold of herself, though, and said, "I'm sorry. I'm not thinking clearly. Let's just forget about this forever, OK?"

Derek was relieved. "Already forgotten, Case. Now, can we get some sleep?" He asked jokingly.

Casey laughed softly. "OK." She looked up into his face. "Stay with me? I promise I won't throw myself at you." Her lips quirked into a smirk.

"I know it's hard not to, but try to control yourself, OK?" He smiled at her, and was relieved that they could move so easily back into their joking ways. He pulled her to him and she put her head on his chest. This time it didn't take long before they both fell into slumber.

**Review please!**


	29. Chapter 29

**Disclaimer:** I now own a swimming pool, but it's too cold to swim in. Boo me.

**Chapter Twenty-Nine: Responsibilities Slide**

Edwin was awakened by a pounding on the front door. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. He must have fallen asleep watching TV, which was now showing an infomercial.

The pounding continued and Edwin got up and strode to the door, irritated. "What?" he said, opening it.

The woman who stood before him looked familiar, but her name escaped him. She was shorter than him, about 5'5", with bleached-blond hair and blue eyes. She was wearing a dark pantsuit. "Hi. I'm Susan." She noticed Edwin's blank look. "From down the street?"

Edwin still didn't know who she was. "Casey baby sits for me?"

Oh, he got it now. "Oh yeah. I'm sorry, I'm not fully awake yet."

She shifted on her feet and tried to look around Edwin into the house. "Well, Casey was supposed to be at our place at 8:00, and she's never late, so when eight became nine, well, I got worried."

Edwin looked at his watch. It was 9:15 a.m. 'Oh no.'

Susan continued. "I've been trying to call for over an hour and no one answered the phone. Is everything OK?"

Edwin thought for a moment. "Uh, yeah. I'm so sorry for the inconvenience. See, our parents are out of town, and late last night, Casey came down with what we think is food poisoning. She was sick all night." Lie, lie, lie.

Susan frowned. "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. I mean, I'm glad that she's not lying in a ditch somewhere . . ." She laughed slightly. "I'm a worry wart and tend to think the worst."

Edwin smiled thinly. "Well, I'm sorry no one called you. Is that going to create a problem for you?"

Susan waved her hand casually. "No. Luckily, my mother-in-law is in town. She can watch the kids while we're at work. She was going to have a free day to go shopping, but oh well." She laughed at her own humor.

'Ha Ha'. "OK, then. I'm sure Casey will be horrified when she wakes up. Expect to get a very apologetic message from her later." Edwin wanted this conversation to be over so he could go check on Casey.

Susan nodded. "Well, you tell Casey that everything's OK. I know she's a conscientious person and usually very dependable. Tell her that we're thinking of her and hoping she feels better soon."

"Will do, Susan. It was nice meeting you." Edwin waved and watched her walk down the street back to her house.

"No problem. Just take care of Casey, OK?" She waved and continued on her way.

'Oh, I will,' thought Edwin as he shut the door and headed up the stairs.

He reached Casey's door and paused for a second. Should he just walk in without knocking? He didn't know if Derek had stayed the entire night or not. Derek's bedroom door was closed, so he didn't know if he was in there. Edwin decided to go in and turned the knob, slowly opening the door.

Edwin stood in the doorway surveying the scene. Casey and Derek were still sleeping, Casey on her side facing the window, Derek spooned up behind her, his arm around her waist. His face was buried in her shoulder.

The sight made Edwin sick to his stomach, and he thought back to the conversations with Derek about Derek's suspicions regarding Edwin and Casey. All the times when Derek was so curious and paranoid about anything having to do with Casey. Edwin now wondered if Derek had an ulterior motive. He was beginning to think that Derek had feelings of his own for Casey, and Edwin didn't like that one bit.

Edwin moved over to Derek's side and shook his shoulder. "Hey, wake up."

Derek moaned and snuggled into Casey. "Go away," He mumbled into her back.

"Derek, get up. NOW." Edwin said, losing his cool.

Derek cracked his left eye open (or tried to, as it was still swollen). "What the hell do you want, Ed? Can't you see I'm trying to sleep here?"

Casey stirred a bit and turned into Derek's arms. Derek looked at her, then at Edwin. His eyes widened and he gently moved out of Casey's arms. He slid off the side of the bed and caught himself before he fell on the floor.

Edwin turned to leave and looked back, making sure that Derek was following. He was. They entered the hallway, and Derek quietly shut Casey's door.

Edwin wasted no time in attacking. "What the hell was that?" He asked with barely restrained fury.

Derek closed his eyes and counted to 10. He _so_ did not need this first thing in the morning. His whole face hurt from Brett using it as a punching bag. "Get out of my face, Ed. I'm not in the mood." He went to walk around him, but Edwin was having none of it.

"Don't you dare walk away from me, Derek. Not this time. What happened last night? So help me God, if you took advantage of her in her fucked-up state of mind, I will hurt you 10 times worse than what you got last night." Edwin said in a deadly tone.

Derek snapped and moved quickly, pinning Edwin against the wall with his arm across Edwin's neck. "Don't. You. Ever. Threaten. Me. Again." Derek noticed Edwin's eyes were bugging out and he was having trouble breathing. He laid off, but didn't totally let go of him. He continued, "And I'll forgive you – _this time_ – for your absurd assumptions about me and Casey." He paused again, "Only because of your silly infatuation with her. But if you think that I would be so low as to take advantage of a woman who's under the influence of god-knows-what and who is already emotionally fragile, well then, I'm insulted." Derek took a breath. He wasn't done yet. "Beyond insulted, actually. We're brothers, Ed. I thought you knew me better than that." Derek said sadly before letting go. He looked at Edwin one last time before shaking his head and moving into his bedroom, shutting the door.

Edwin stood in the hallway for what seemed like a long time, ashamed of his own behavior. He was pacing and running his hand through his hair, debating if he should knock on Derek's door and apologize. There was no debate, really. He knew he owed Derek an apology, but his pride wasn't ready to let him do it yet. Edwin sighed and went into the bathroom to take a much-needed shower.

Casey woke up slowly, her eyes adjusting to the bright light of morning. Now that her eyes were fully open, however, she noticed that the angle of the sun was all wrong for morning. It looked like it was early afternoon, actually. She sat up and put her hands to her head, rubbing it. It felt like a ton of bricks had been dropped on it. She swiveled her body and put her feet on the floor. Standing up slowly, she moved to the mirror and examined herself. 'Oh my god! I'm the bride of Frankenstein!' She stopped short of putting her palms to her cheeks and screaming at her appearance. She noticed that she wearing Derek's shirt and her pajama pants. In a rush, all the events of the night prior came rushing through her mind like a fast-moving film reel. Flashes of Brett, Brad, Alex, Kendra, Derek, Edwin, Amy . . . the warehouse, the lights, the dancing, the drinks, feeling woozy and hot and horny, the room upstairs with the gauzy material hanging from the ceiling dividing the space into little sections wherein people were fucking openly and wantonly, the smell of sex, Alex's fingers inside her, Brad standing off to the side awaiting his turn to assault her . . . Casey couldn't handle it and slid to the floor. She couldn't cry, though. She was out of tears. Instead, she rocked herself back and forth, her mouth open in a silent sob. She fucked up this time and she didn't know if she could get through it.

An hour later, Casey appeared in the kitchen after having spent close to an hour scrubbing herself free of Alex's touch. Brett's too. She knew without a doubt that they were over and the thought still saddened her. Casey realized with a start that she would miss the illusion of having a perfect boyfriend more than she would miss the actual guy. When had she gotten so shallow? She was alone in the kitchen, but heard the TV going in the living room. Grabbing a bottle of water, Casey headed toward the sound.

She found Edwin sitting on the couch watching the TV screen like he was in a trance. 'He couldn't really be that interested in a ladies daytime talk show, could he?'

Sitting down next to him, she looked at his face. "Hey Ed."

Edwin jumped when he realized someone was next to him. "Oh, hey Casey." He turned off the TV and turned to her. "Are you OK?" he asked solemnly.

For some strange reason, Casey wanted to laugh. She knew Edwin was just concerned, but the look on his face was humorous to her. She resisted laughing, however, and instead put on a serious face. "I'm fine, Edwin. Thank you for helping to take care of me." She looked around. "Now, where's Derek? I want to thank him too. If it wasn't for the two of you, well . . ." Casey trailed off. She couldn't think about that.

An annoyed look came over Edwin's face before he schooled his features into a blank mask. "He went to Sally's. Apparently, she left like a hundred messages on his phone last night." Edwin picked at an imaginary spot of lint off the couch. He couldn't forget the sight of Casey and Derek in bed together, wrapped up in each other . . .

Casey tried not to scowl. "Oh."

Edwin focused his eyes on Casey, who had no trace of the make-up mess on her face today. In fact, she looked fresh and clean, as if last night didn't happen.

At that moment, the front door opened and Lizzie came bounding in, carrying her duffel bag. She dropped it on the floor and came to stand near Derek's chair. "Hey guys. What's up? Did I miss anything while I was gone?"

Edwin and Casey looked at Lizzie, then each other. They had a silent conversation with their eyes that said, 'You don't know the half of it.' Instead, Casey said, "Nope. It was pretty boring here. Did you have fun?"

Lizzie nodded her head. "Yeah. We stayed up all night watching movies, eating candy and talking about boys. I'm wiped. I'm gonna go take a long nap." She smiled and went up the stairs.

Edwin and Casey sat there in silence until Edwin remembered his conversation with Susan. "Oh, Case. Susan came by this morning . . ."

He didn't get a chance to finish before Casey squealed. "Oh my god! I missed work!" She hopped up and started walking around, wringing her hands. "I'm a terrible employee! They're gonna fire me, I'll be out of a job, have a terrible reputation as a slacker, and I won't get into medical school!" She started hyperventilating.

Edwin rose and stood in front of Casey, grasping her shoulders. "Case, calm down. I covered for you and told her that you came down with food poisoning and fell asleep before you had a chance to call her. She was very worried about you."

Casey seemed to calm at this. "Thanks Edwin, but it shouldn't be your responsibility to cover for me. It was my fault I screwed up."

Edwin couldn't argue with that. "Well, I agree with ya there, Case, but I didn't think you would want me to tell her what really happened, would you?"

Casey rolled her eyes. "No, you're right. I just feel terrible about the whole thing. I hope she didn't have to miss work today to be with the kids."

"Well, you got lucky. Turns out she was covered, so you're off the hook, although I would keep a low profile for a few days if I were you. You don't want her to see you gallivanting around when she thinks you're sick."

Casey nodded in agreement. "I was going to do that anyway." She turned away from Edwin and added softly. "I need time to chill for awhile and think about things."

Edwin wanted to take Casey into his arms and soothe her problems away, but he knew she didn't want that right now. She had to deal with this in her own way. His job was to just be there for her and support her, and there was nothing that was going to keep him from doing that.

When Sally opened the door to Derek she was shocked. "What happened to you?" she asked, looking at his face, which was now turning various colors and was still puffy.

"It's nothing." Derek said, hoping to change the subject quickly.

Sally wasn't buying it. "Derek, did someone attack you? What happened last night? You took off really fast and I don't hear a word from you. And now you show up out of the blue and tell me nothing happened? Uh, uh. I want to know."

Derek was annoyed, but he didn't show it. "Look, Sal, can I come in? I really don't want to talk about this on your front porch."

Sally looked around. "Oh yeah, sure. Sorry." She pulled Derek along with her until they were in the bathroom.

Derek gave Sally a weird look. "Why are we in the bathroom?"

Sally sighed. "Well, my mom is home and I really don't want her to see you looking like that." She paused, "She'll think you're some kind of hooligan or something."

Derek snorted and crossed his arms. He really didn't give a rat's ass what anyone thought of him, let alone Sally's mom. "Sally, what am I supposed to do? Stay in hiding until it goes away?"

She blew out a breath. "I don't know." She paced in the small area, then moved to the door and cracked it open. "I think the coast is clear, let's go to my room."

Derek nodded and quietly followed Sally upstairs, where she immediately closed the door after them. "Talk softly so she can't hear us."

Derek quirked an eyebrow. "Uh, Sal, don't you think she's gonna notice my car in front of your house?"

Sally looked mortified. "Oh yeah. Well, I guess I can't do anything about that." She leaned forward and examined Derek's face. "So tell me what happened."

Derek thought a moment. He sure as hell wasn't going to tell Sally what went down last night. She didn't need to know, and frankly, it was none of her business. So, he dug deep and crafted a Derek-sized lie. "It's really no big deal. Ed and I were rough-housing and it got a little out of control, that's all." He paused to see if she was buying it. He couldn't tell. He continued, "Sometimes I forget that Edwin isn't a little kid I can shove around anymore. He fights back now." Derek smiled ruefully.

Sally looked uncertain. She really didn't know what to think. "Well, did you at least clean it out and put ice on it right away?" It didn't look like he did.

"Nah, it's alright. The swelling will go down and once all the discoloration disappears, it will be like nothing ever happened." Derek wished it really worked that way with life. Out of sight, out of mind.

Sally moved forward to wrap her arms around Derek. "I'm so glad that you weren't more seriously hurt. Even if it was just rough-housing." She tweaked his nose. "So what was the big family emergency?"

Derek thought quickly. "Oh, Ed thought that someone was trying to break into the house, so he calls me all scared and shit. I tell ya, he may be my size, but the kid's a wuss." Derek chucked, thinking of his version of reality. Edwin would hate him for this.

"Oh," Sally laughed, and then changed the subject, thankfully. "So, what would you like to do today?"

Derek snagged Sally's hand and kissed it. "Whatever you want is fine with me."

Sally's eyes shined. "Well, I do have an idea . . ." she said. "Wait here." She went to the door and cracked it open. "Mom! I'm gonna take a shower! I'll be out in a little bit!"

"OK, honey!" her mom's voice came from somewhere downstairs.

Sally turned and smirked at Derek. "Care to join me?" She reached out her hand and waited for him to decide.

"Aren't you worried about your mom catching us?" Derek asked.

"That's part of the fun." Sally said seductively as she grabbed Derek's hand.

He smirked. "You lead, I'll follow." Derek said, trailing Sally into the bathroom.

**Review please!**


	30. Chapter 30

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Derek, Casey, or any of the other characters on _Life with Derek_. I do, however, own Ashley, Brett, Brad, Alex and everyone else not original to the series.

**Chapter Thirty: Life Goes On?**

The following week was spent getting ready for the big vacation. Nora and George had returned from their business trip two days after the "incident". When they saw Derek, they immediately demanded to know what happened. Derek and Edwin crafted a story similar to the one Derek told Sally: He and Ed were screwing around and things got out of control. George and Nora were upset and made the brothers apologize to each other in front of them. Derek and Edwin shook hands and were grounded until it was time to leave for vacation. This upset Derek more than Edwin, because Derek wanted to spend time with Sally before he left. "You should have thought of that before you two started fighting." George said sternly. Derek swore under his breath and went upstairs to pout. Edwin smiled to himself, as did Casey, who was witness to the punishment. Nothing more was said about that night, and all who were involved acted like nothing had ever happened. In public, anyway.

Casey called Susan that same day she missed work and apologized profusely for not calling that morning. She went along with Edwin's story about having food poisoning and Susan was understanding and said that no harm was done. That made Casey feel a lot better to know her job wasn't in jeopardy. She was saving up for a car of her own and needed the income.

Casey also missed Ashley, considering she had not seen her for a few days. They spoke by phone often, but Casey couldn't bring herself to let Ashley in on what happened. She wanted to tell her in person.

Casey stayed close to home, only going to work and back. George and Nora thought it was a bit weird that Casey wanted to stay around the house more, but when they asked her about it, she told them she was getting over the breakup with Brett – which wasn't a lie – and just needed to chill for a bit. They expressed their regret at the demise of Casey and Brett's relationship: "Oh, that's too bad. I really liked him." Nora said, frowning. George agreed: "Yeah, he was a nice kid; great to talk sports with."

Casey refrained from the comments she _really_ wanted to make, and went upstairs.

"Ash, I can't believe I haven't seen you for over a week. I think I'm going through Ashley withdrawal." Casey joked to Ashley on the phone.

Ashley laughed. She had phoned Casey while on break at the club. She too, missed Casey quite a bit, but was reluctant to tell her exactly how much. She didn't want to freak Casey out. "I know. And then you're leaving for vacation in a few days, so I won't see you for another week!" Ashley sighed dramatically.

"I know. I mean, I'm sort of looking forward to it. The cabin we're staying at sounds awesome, but on the other hand . . . well, you know the other issues." Casey said in a conspiratorial voice.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Torn between two hot brothers. What's a girl to do?" Ashley joked.

"Ash! Come on, it sounds like crap when _you_ say it." Casey whined.

"Well, sweetie, just remember: you can't lead them both on forever. They deserve better, but you already know that." Ashley said when she heard Casey sigh.

"I know, I know. But I really don't think I'm leading them on. I mean, Derek has a girlfriend he really seems to be into." Casey wanted to add _unfortunately_ to the end of that statement, but she didn't.

"And Edwin?" Ashley asked seriously. "What's your excuse with him?" Casey said nothing and Ashley continued. "Alright, I'll stop busting your chops about it. I know you know what the right thing to do is. Well, I have to get back to work. The businessmen are getting restless."

Casey laughed, then remembered something. "Hey! When are you gonna get me that fake I.D. you keep talking about so I can come see you dance?"

"Well, I know a guy – he's the best in the business – who can get me one for you soon. All I need from you is a picture, but you keep forgetting to get one to me."

There she goes again – 'I know a guy who's the best in the business' – Casey smiled. "Well, I'll get you one as soon as I get back from vacation, OK?"

"Sounds like a plan." Ashley said, "I'm sure we'll talk before you leave, right?" she asked hopefully.

"Of course we will!" Casey said. "Well, I'll let you go back to shakin' your goodies for the men." She joked.

Ashley laughed and they said their goodbyes.

'It's gonna be good to hang out with Ashley again when I get back.' thought Casey. She felt like she was in a fishbowl here. Everyone (meaning her, Derek and Edwin) was acting like everything was hunky-dory, but she could feel their eyes on her, watching her every move and expression, making sure that she was holding it together. She hated – and loved it – at the same time. She knew they were doing it out of concern – Derek because he cared for her as a sister; and Edwin because he thought his feelings were deeper – but it was slowly driving her insane. She thought she was dealing just fine with it. She hadn't heard word one from Brett, but she wasn't surprised. Casey did wonder how he was doing and what he was doing, if he was continuing to engage in crazy sex parties and forcing girls to give him head. Although, if she remembered correctly, Amy wasn't being _forced_ to do anything. That thought led her to Max. Casey wondered if Max was aware of what (or who) his girlfriend was doing. Of course, it's possible that they broke up, seeing as she hadn't seen or talked to Max since before school ended.

Casey shook her head, trying to get the thought of both Max and Brett out of her head. The more she thought about them, and guys in general, the angrier she found herself. She was discovering that most of the guys she knew were jerks who thought they were God's gift to women and expected them to fall at their feet. Well, she was done with that! And practically throwing herself at Derek the other night? How embarrassing. She had thought that maybe Derek was attracted to her and wanted her too, but apparently she was sadly mistaken. Obviously, he was happy with Sally and wanted to stay that way. The thought saddened her more than she thought it would.

But there _was_ hope: There was Edwin, who continued to be nothing but nice and considerate, funny and charming, selfless and caring. When he looked at her, he made her feel like she was the only person in the room, on the planet, even. Casey could feel in his gaze all of his intense emotions, and most of the time it made her feel special. But sometimes, she felt suffocated and wanted nothing more than to run away and be by herself.

Casey had also noticed tension between Derek and Edwin. For the most part, they acted normal, but she caught on to the looks that passed between them when they thought she wasn't looking. She didn't know what that was about, and at this point, she didn't want to know. Casey was dealing with enough stuff of her own without worrying about them. The brothers fought a lot, and they would eventually work it out, she figured.

The next night, Casey was watching TV with Lizzie and Marti when there was a knock on the door. Marti ran to get it. "Who are you?" she said to whoever was standing outside.

"Hi. You must be Marti." Casey knew that voice. It belonged to . . . "I'm Ashley, Casey's friend. Is she here?"

Casey rose and ran to the front door. "Ash! What are you doing here?" She jumped forward and gave her a big hug.

Ashley smiled and hugged back. "I decided that I couldn't wait to see you until after your vacation. I hope that's OK."

Casey stepped back. Sure, she was initially nervous about her family meeting Ash, but she had grown too attached to her to let that get in the way of their friendship. She grabbed Ashley's hand and pulled her in the house. "Come in and meet my family." Casey stated confidently.

Ashley's face split into a big grin and she squeezed Casey's hand. 'She isn't ashamed of me!' thought Ashley happily.

"Mom! George! Come in here, I want you to meet a friend of mine!" Casey called to the kitchen. While waiting for them, Casey introduced Ash to Lizzie and Marti, who politely said hello then went back to watching their program. A moment later, Nora and George entered, followed by Derek and Edwin, whose eyes widened in recognition. He smiled at Ashley and she smiled back.

"Mom, George, Derek, Ed," Casey addressed them then turned to Ashley. "This is my good friend Ashley. Ashley, this is my mom, Nora, step dad, George, and step-brothers, Derek and Edwin." Casey introduced Edwin and Derek like they had never met before, hoping that they would both go along with it.

"Well, Ashley, it's always nice to meet Casey's friends." Nora said, shaking Ashley's hand. George did the same.

"Well, Ashley, I've heard a lot about you." Derek smirked at Casey while shaking Ashley's hand. Casey fought the urge to slap him upside the head.

Ashley smiled at him and then turned to Edwin. "It's nice to meet you." They shook hands and Casey squirmed.

"Hey! Since you've never been over before, why don't I show you my room?" She grabbed Ashley's arm and practically dragged her up the stairs. Casey led Ash into her room and shut the door. "Whew! Glad that's over!" she said, wiping her hand against her brow.

Ashley looked confused. "What was so hard about that?"

Casey didn't want Ash to get the wrong idea. "Well, I was talking about Derek and Edwin. I thought they might blow it and mention that they knew you."

"Well, Derek really doesn't know me, we've only seen each other at parties, but I'm sure you didn't want your parents to know that." Ashley said understandingly.

"Yeah, something like that." Casey said. "Now, let's not talk about them anymore. Let's talk about how excited I am to see you!" She jumped on Ashley and they both fell on the bed laughing.

"Yeah, I'm getting that you're excited." Ashley said, loving the feeling of them together again. "So, when exactly are you leaving for vacation?" she asked seriously. She wanted to spend as much time as she could before Casey left. Granted, she would only be gone for a week, but it was still a week without Casey, and Ashley wasn't looking forward to it.

"We're leaving in two days." Casey said, looking at Ashley. "I am _so_ gonna miss you!" she pulled Ashley close again and hugged her tightly. "Who am I gonna talk about boys with?"

"Um, I don't know, Marti?" Ashley said, laughing.

"Yeah, well, I've heard lots of ideas," Casey paused for effect, "and that's one of them!" They both giggled at this and spent the next hour laughing and talking in Casey's room until Ashley had to leave for work. Casey decided that it wasn't the right time to enlighten Ashley about what had happened a few days earlier. She just wanted to enjoy the time with her BFF.

Casey walked Ashley out to her car, and they were standing next to the driver's side. "Ash, thank you so much for coming over tonight and finally meeting my family. I'm sorry I didn't invite you sooner." She genuinely was sorry, and felt like a bitch for being ashamed at first. She didn't think she was, but now that she thought about it, she realized that it _was_ the real reason, and she was disappointed in herself.

"I'm glad too." She hugged Casey again and said, "You have a great vacation and don't do anything I wouldn't do." Casey laughed at that, not knowing exactly what Ashley would or wouldn't do. After she got back, Casey was going to make Ashley sit down and tell her all about herself. She knew there was a lot that Ashley hadn't told her.

"I won't." Casey stepped back and looked at her friend. "I'm going to miss you." She said softly.

"You too," Ashley replied. They shared one last hug, and Ashley kissed Casey on the cheek before getting in her heap and driving away. Casey stood in the street staring after her for a moment before turning and going into the house.

**Review please!**


	31. Chapter 31

**Disclaimer:** Yadda, yadda, yadda.

**Chapter Thirty-One: The Cabin**

On the day of the trip, the McDonald/Venturi clan – of course – were running around like chickens with their heads cut off. "Where's my ipod?" "Where's Sir Monks-A-Lot?" "Where's my favorite hairbrush?" Questions shooting from everyone who should already have been ready to go days before.

"Come on, kids. Get a move on! We don't want to miss our flight!" Nora's strained voice rang through the house. It sounded like a herd of elephants were coming down the stairs as Derek, Casey, Edwin, Lizzie and Marti emerged, each carrying a suitcase and multiple bags. "OK. Line up." Nora ordered in a military voice. Derek and Edwin rolled their eyes, but acquiesced.

Nora took out a pad of paper. "Let's check the list: Did everyone pack their toothbrush?"

"Yes" "Yes" "Yes" "Yes" "No". Marti's voice sounded the last answer, and she ran upstairs to grab it. A moment later, she returned.

"OK." Nora continued. "Underwear?" Everyone had that item covered and Nora was relieved. "Enough for the whole trip?" she added. Derek and Edwin had to think about that one. They each concluded that they had.

"Well, another nice thing about the cabin is that they have a washer and dryer, so if you _do_ run out of clothes, we can just run a load." Everyone was excited about that, especially Casey, who hated to re-pack dirty clothes in her suitcase along with the clean ones.

Nora went down the list quickly: "Shirts? Shorts? Pants? Socks? PJ's? Coats? Swimsuits? Deodorant?" – she looked at the boys on that one – "Any books, radios, notepads for the plane trip?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Everyone concluded that they had everything.

Then Nora dropped a bombshell that she knew wouldn't be taken well: "Cell phones stay here. This is a family vacation, and I don't want you to spend your time chatting away with your friends when you can be having family time." Derek and Casey groaned. He wouldn't be able to talk to Sally, and she couldn't chat with Ashley. "Sorry guys. It's not negotiable." Nora turned and went into the kitchen, calling down the stairs. "George, chop chop! We're all waiting for you!"

"Coming!" They heard George's voice say from the basement. A moment later, they heard him jogging up the stairs. "The head of the family is ready. Let the vacation commence!" He announced goofily, making Lizzie and Marti laugh, while the others rolled their eyes.

Nora beamed proudly and kissed George on the cheek. "This is going to be the best vacation ever!" she stated.

Not everyone was sure about that.

On the plane ride out, George, Nora and Marti were in a row, followed by Casey and Lizzie, then Derek and Edwin. The 'rents and Marti sang songs and read books, while Casey and Liz chatted about Jamie and the upcoming school year, which was now only a month away. Derek and Edwin didn't speak, choosing to listen to their ipods and studiously ignore each other.

'At least this is a non-stop flight.' Derek thought as he stared at the seat in front of him, which just happened to house Casey. 'This trip is gonna suck.'

Edwin was thinking of all the ways he could get Casey alone so they could spend some quality time together. Ever since that day they made out in his room, he longed to touch and kiss her again, but the circumstances were never right. He was hoping that would change during the trip.

Upon landing at the airport in Vancouver, they rented a mini-van and headed off toward the cabin, which, according to George's boss, was just 30 minutes away. Nora glanced in the rearview mirror as she driving. The three oldest kids were silent, each looking out a window, while Lizzie and Marti were talking animatedly about something. Nora sighed inwardly. 'Teenagers and their dramas.'

Forty minutes later (Nora had gotten a bit turned around with the directions) and a lot of uphill driving on swerving roads, they pulled up to the cabin. George whistled appreciatively. "Wow. Isn't this great?"

"This is awesome!" Marti yelled excitedly, and Lizzie agreed.

Casey, Derek and Edwin had to admit they were impressed. "Let's go in and check it out." Edwin said, moving forward. He wanted to inspect the inside before passing judgment.

George took out a key and opened the door, the rest of the family close behind. Gasps filled the room as everyone took in their surroundings. The place was a work of art! The door they entered through brought them into the kitchen, where marble countertops sparkled in the late afternoon sun. Stainless steel appliances gleamed at them, and a massive oak table with six chairs just sat waiting to be used. The light fixtures were polished nickel and the floor was Tuscan stone.

Casey loved it already. Derek immediately went to the refrigerator and opened it. "There's nothing here." He said, looking at George and Nora.

Nora laughed. "Well, that's because no one has been here for a few months. We'll have to make a store run later after we settle in."

Derek scowled. He was starving and didn't want to wait. "Whatever."

Marti ran ahead of everyone into the living room. "Hey everyone, look at this!"

They caught up with her and collectively stood, their eyes taking in the massive fireplace, oversized furniture and huge TV screen. "Sweet!" Edwin blurted out.

Derek agreed, nodding his head. He and Edwin may not be on the best terms at the moment, but that didn't stop them from appreciating a bitchin' home theatre system.

They continued their exploration of the cabin. On the first floor was the aforementioned kitchen and living room, along with the master bedroom and master bath, which, when Nora saw, she squealed like a little girl. "George! Check out this massive tub!" There was also a small space off the kitchen that served as the laundry room.

On the second floor was three moderately sized bedrooms, each with its own small fireplace, one bathroom, and a small sitting room that had shelves full of books and a closet full of games.

Lastly, the third floor had two bedrooms with their own fireplaces, a bathroom and another game room, this one housing the foosball and ping pong tables. There was also a treadmill in the corner, which faced a small TV that was mounted in the opposite corner.

"Come on, kids. Let's unload the car so we can get to the store and get some grub." George said cheerfully. "I don't know about the rest of you, but those airplane peanuts didn't exactly hit the spot." Everyone agreed, and they followed George out to the car.

A little while later, the whole family was gathered in the living room with their belongings. Not to express joy at being on vacation together, but to argue about who gets what room.

"I want to be next to Smerek!" Marti stomped her foot and crossed her arms defiantly. Derek smiled and ruffled Marti's hair.

"Well, I want to be on the third floor, next to the foosball table." Edwin stated.

"Case, Liz, do you have a preference?" Nora asked, not hearing them express an opinion one way or the other.

"I could care less." Casey said. She had looked at each room and liked every one of them. They were decorated pretty much the same: lots of wood, light carpeting, fireplace, thick patchwork quilting on the beds, and each had an excellent view, since the cabin was basically on the top of a mountain, it offered dynamic 360-degree views of the range. She did, however, think it would be cool to be on the same floor as the hot tub, which was on the second-floor deck. "I'll take the second floor. I don't care which room."

"Me too." Derek added hastily. He knew what Casey was thinking about the hot tub, and he was thinking that too.

"Great." George concluded. "Nora and I will be on the first floor; Casey, Derek and Marti will be on the second; and Ed and Liz will be on the third. Is everyone in agreement?" he looked around for confirmation.

Edwin wasn't pleased at the turn of events, but what could he do? Making a big deal out of it would arouse suspicion, especially since he had specifically mentioned wanting to be near the game room. In his mind, however, he saw him and Casey on the third floor, not him and Lizzie. 'Oh well. I'll just have to work around that.' He thought to himself.

Everyone was satisfied with the arrangements and went to unpack.

_Two days later:_ The first few days of vacation went relatively smoothly. Everyone settled in nicely and after they stocked up on food, they spent evenings eating dinner at the massive oak table in the kitchen, and mornings eating breakfast on the patio of the first floor deck, which overlooked a small river that wound it's way through the foot of the mountains. Casey was sure she had never seen anything more beautiful in her life than when she had woken up to watch the sunrise over the peaks of the mountains. It literally took her breath away.

She thought back on the vacation so far: Everyone was getting along, although she noticed that Edwin and Derek still weren't saying much to each other. Casey would have to ask Edwin about that. She didn't like to see them fighting for this long. Whatever it was, it must be serious.

Casey had spent a lot of time just hanging with Lizzie and catching up on what was going on in her life. It made Casey feel good to reconnect with her sis, and it also helped to keep her mind off what happened. Casey was still having trouble sleeping, and frequently woke during the night in a cold sweat, her heart beating wildly. The more it happened, the angrier she felt inside. Sometimes, in the dead of night, and if she had a gun and the opportunity, she would have no problem pulling the trigger on Alex. She wanted to permanently wipe that sneer off his face forever and prevent what happened to her from ever happening to anyone else.

Edwin had tried to get close to Casey a few times, but she wasn't feeling it at the moment. All Casey wanted to do was chill and enjoy her vacation and not worry about guys and relationships, and that included her stepbrothers.

Derek kept to himself quite a bit, only mixing with Marti, George and Nora for the most part. Granted, they all ate together, but with the cabin being so big, they were able to spread out and do their own thing a lot of the time. And so far, George and Nora hadn't forced them to do a family game or movie night, although Derek had no doubt that was coming.

"Kids," Nora said at breakfast. "What do you think about going into town today?"

"I think that's a great idea." Lizzie said, excited. "As awesome as this cabin is, I would like to get out and about a little."

"I agree." Marti added. "Let's go shopping!"

At the word "shopping" Casey's head snapped up. "I could go for some shopping."

Derek rolled his eyes. 'Who goes on vacation to go shopping?'

"Well, that settles it then, we're going to Vancouver!" George said, his finger in the air.

The kids looked at each other and busted up laughing.

"What?" George said, looking confused.

Nora smiled patiently. "It's nothing, Georgie. Let's just finish up breakfast, get ready and get moving so we can have most of the day to explore. Sound good?" She looked around the table for confirmation.

"Sounds good to me." Edwin said, taking it upon himself to speak for everyone.

They arrived in downtown Vancouver and after circling a block in the shopping district a few times, decided to park in the parking garage. "Ugh," George said scowling. "I hate paying this much to park, but we can't keep circling forever."

George paid the parking attendant the amount to park for the entire day, and the family set off. After walking awhile, Derek spoke up. "Uh, no offense, but do we have to stay together all day?"

"Are we cramping your style, Der?" Casey asked smirking.

Derek leveled a look at her. "As a matter of fact, Spacey, you are."

"Smerek, it's not like you can go pick up chicks. Remember Sally?" Marti said sassily.

"I don't want to pick up chicks, Smarti, I just want to walk around without a chaperone." Derek said, mussing Marti's hair.

George and Nora seemed to think about this. "Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt to let you go off by yourself for a few hours." Nora said, looking at George for any sign of resistance. She found none. "But . . ." she paused.

"Oh, here we go." Derek said, crossing his arms.

Nora ignored him. "But you cannot go off by yourself. You must stay in pairs or all together.

"Yay!" Marti yelled.

"And Marti stays with us." George said resolutely.

Marti's face fell. "Oh man!" she whined.

"Sorry Marti," George said, crouching to her level. "But I would feel much better if you were with us."

Marti's eyes softened. "Oh, OK Daddy." She said sweetly before hugging him.

"So, how do you want to pair off?" Nora asked.

Derek, Edwin, Casey and Lizzie all looked at each other. "I want to go with Casey." Lizzie spoke up. She glanced at Casey to see if that was OK.

"Fine with me." Casey shrugged.

Edwin's face fell. He, of course, was hoping to score some more time with Casey. Not only that, but now he would be forced to spend time with Derek, who wasn't exactly being very nice to him as of late. 'Oh well,' Edwin thought. 'Maybe I can use this time to apologize and repair our relationship a bit.'

So it was decided: George, Nora and Marti went one way, Derek and Edwin another, and Casey and Lizzie went yet another way, all deciding to meet back in three hours.

Casey and Lizzie were having a great time together, going through the shops and enjoying the great summer weather, which today, was 73 and sunny. The girls really didn't have enough money for the high-end boutiques, but that didn't deter their fun.

Derek and Edwin, on the other hand, were barely speaking. Derek weaved his way in and out of people on the sidewalk while Edwin was struggling to keep up with him. After awhile Edwin was getting tired of chasing after Derek. "Derek! Can you slow down a little? I'm tired of running."

Derek stopped and turned. "Tired of running? Aren't you the star of the track team?" He snorted.

Edwin rolled his eyes as he approached his brother. "Very funny. What's the big hurry? Or are you still so pissed that you can't stand to be next to me?"

Derek said nothing, instead turning forward and continuing his way down the street as soon as Edwin caught up with him. Edwin sighed. This day was going to suck if they didn't try to iron things out. "Come on, D. Can't we at least bury the hatchet for today?"

His eyes straight ahead, Derek said, "Ed. I don't think you know how bad you hurt my feelings, and before you start laughing, I will deny ever having said that if you ever bring it up." Derek paused, and then continued, "I just don't know how we're gonna have a good relationship if, at every opportunity, you accuse me of molesting, talking advantage, or generally accosting Casey." He stopped and turned to Edwin. "I have a girlfriend, Ed. One I'm very serious about keeping, and I'm not going to screw that up fooling around with my stepsister!" Derek said, ignoring the little voice in his head that said, 'Yeah, right. What about that night after the party?' "Besides," he added. "I know how you _think_ you feel about her, and it would be pretty despicable if I were to move in on her, don't ya think?"

Edwin thought about this as they walked along the sidewalk, basically ignoring all the stores and boutiques. "Derek. Stop."

On this rare occasion, Derek actually listened and stopped walking. "What?"

"Look D, I just want to tell you I'm sorry for how I treated you that morning. My feelings for Casey are just so strong, and I don't know how to deal with that sometimes. Especially when I go into her bedroom and see her snuggling with another guy – my brother of all people!" Edwin took a deep breath. "I kind of went nuts. Because I'm the one who wants to be holding her and waking up with her and . . ."

Derek held up his hand. "Ed. Stop before I barf all over the sidewalk, OK? I get it. You like Casey. But you have to stop treating her like she's a piece of property. She's not. And she's not ready to get into another relationship right away either. Least of all with her 15-year-old stepbrother!" Derek said, looking hard into Edwin's eyes. He really wanted to try to wake Edwin up out of his pie-in-the-sky, we're-gonna-be-together-forever mentality he was in. Because it wasn't happening now, and Derek doubted it ever would. Casey had too many issues of her own to deal with before settling in to a healthy, stable relationship. 'Oh my god,' Derek thought, 'I sound like Paul!' Derek was horrified. He was going to have to get back to the cabin and find the most macho, violent, testosterone-filled movie they had and watch it. He was getting soft!

"Derek?" Edwin said questioningly. It was obvious that he had been talking, but of course, Derek was not paying attention.

"What was that?" Derek asked.

"I said, are we good?" Edwin asked hopefully. "Because I miss my brother." He sort of mumbled the last part, fearful that he would be made fun of.

Derek stood there for a moment and let Edwin sweat it out. "Oh hell, it's over and done with. I don't have the energy or ambition to remain angry at you." He paused, then continued, "But I mean it, no more accusing me of anything, cuz there's nothing going on!" Derek said, pointing his finger in Edwin's face. "Got it?"

Edwin smiled. "Got it, bro." He looked at Derek. "Hug?" Edwin asked, opening his arms.

Derek stared, horrified. "Dude! Put your arms down! We're in public here! And you know my policy: No hugging." Instead he bumped fists with Edwin and they continued on their way, talking about everything under the sun, but staying away from the one topic that would always cause them strife: Casey.

**Review please!**


	32. Chapter 32

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but a . . . oh hell, I'm out of stuff!

**Chapter Thirty-Two: Window Shopping and Hot Chicks**

For a few hours, Derek and Edwin were brothers again; good-naturedly ribbing each other, telling dirty jokes and checking out hot chicks as they walked by. Edwin called Derek out on that one. "Derek, what about your _girlfriend_?" Edwin said in a baby voice.

Derek glared at Edwin, but Edwin could tell Derek wasn't serious. "Ed, I'm taken, not dead. I can't help it if a hot chick walks by me. It's my duty as a red-blooded male to check out the goods!" Edwin looked at Derek for a moment, then they both busted up laughing.

They basically had been circling the same few blocks for the past little while, and Derek, for one, was hungry. "Ed, we need to find a place that serves some good grub and not that hoity-toity crap that barely fills my stomach but costs an arm and a leg."

Edwin nodded. "I agree, bro. I think I saw a few places back the other way. Wanna turn around?"

"Already there, little brother." Derek grabbed Edwin around the neck and noogied him. He would never say it aloud, but Derek had missed hanging with Edwin. It was bad enough that he had admitted to Edwin that his feelings had been hurt. What was he thinking? 'Sally's making me soft.' Derek concluded. Thinking of Sally made Derek smile, but it also made him miss her all over again. 'Five more days,' Derek said to himself as he and Edwin strode along the sidewalk.

They came to an intersection. "D, let's turn here. I remember seeing one of those sidewalk café thingies down here." Edwin said, pointing his finger to the right.

"Ed, those 'sidewalk café thingies' are one of those places I was talking about!" Derek said huffily.

Edwin smirked. "But, we can eat _outside_, which means that we can eat and look at the lovely ladies passing by."

Derek smiled. "Ed, you're getting more like me everyday. Let's go."

They approached the café, which was named Nola's _(don't bother looking it up, it doesn't exist)_ and entered through the doors. There was quite a crowd, considering it was mid-afternoon. "How many?" The hostess asked Derek.

"Two, preferably outside." Derek said, his stomach growling.

The hostess looked at her book. "Hmmmm, well, right now there's a wait of about 30-45 minutes." She looked up again. "Name?"

Derek and Edwin looked at each other. "Do you want to wait?" Edwin asked. He knew Derek didn't have much patience, especially when he was hungry.

Derek made his decision. "Nah, we'll find someplace else. Thanks anyway." He said to the hostess before turning to leave.

"Edwin! Derek!" A female voice called from further inside the restaurant.

They turned and saw Lizzie walking toward them waving her hand. "Hey! Fancy meeting you two here. Casey and I were just seated, do you want to join us?" Lizzie paused and glanced at the hostess. "If that's OK."

The hostess shrugged. "Fine with me."

Edwin glanced at Derek, who looked reluctant to take Liz up on her offer. But hunger won out and he and Edwin followed Lizzie back to their booth, which was near a window facing the side street where Derek and Edwin had just traversed.

Casey sat in the booth looking uncomfortable, but quickly changed her expression when Derek, Lizzie and Edwin approached. Lizzie slid in the booth next to Casey and the boys slid in on the other side. "So," Lizzie said, "what have you guys been doing today?" She took a sip of her water while waiting for an answer.

Derek said nothing, so Edwin chimed in. "Not much. Basically walking around. You?" He directed his question to both Lizzie and Casey, who was still not saying anything, instead looking out the window.

Liz looked at Casey before speaking. "Not much, either. Just window shopping and talking about boys." She giggled at that, and Casey smiled slightly.

"Well," Edwin didn't know what to say to that. "That sounds nice." He added lamely.

The waitress came then and took their orders, and the rest of the meal was uneventful and somewhat silent. Edwin and Lizzie did most of the talking, while Derek and Casey looked as if they would rather be anywhere but there. Frankly, Edwin and Lizzie were puzzled.

After lunch, the foursome deduced that they only had an hour left before they had to meet the 'rents and Marti back at their designated spot. Lizzie had an idea. "Hey Ed, I saw a really cool shop down that way that had comics, but Casey had no interest in going in with me. Would you like to check it out?" She looked at Edwin hopefully. Lizzie loved spending time with her big sis, but she still missed her old research partner and spying accomplice. "What do ya say?"

Edwin glanced at Derek, who was staring into space, then at Casey, who was doing the same thing, but in a different direction. They didn't seem to be paying attention at all to their conversation. Edwin hated the thought of leaving Derek and Casey alone, but it didn't bother him quite as much after the talk that he and Derek had earlier. Plus, he _did_ miss spending time with Lizzie. "Sure, Liz. Sounds great." He glanced at Derek and Casey. "So, uh, I guess that leaves the two of you. Try not to beat each other up, OK?"

Upon hearing the comment directed their way, Casey and Derek snapped to attention. "Huh? What?" They said simultaneously.

Lizzie laughed. "He said . . ." she drew it out, "that you two are shopping buddies now because Ed and I are hitting a comic book store down the street. OK?"

Derek and Casey looked at each with matching expressions of fear on their faces. But they went as quickly as they came, leaving blank looks. "Yeah, sure. We'll see you in an hour then." Casey said. Noticing that Derek had seemed to take off without her, she turned quickly and ran to catch up. "Derek! Wait for me! We're supposed to stay together, remember?"

Edwin and Lizzie could hear Casey's fading voice down the street. "Derek! I'm serious! So help me God! . . ." They looked at each other and couldn't help but laugh. 'Same old Casey and Derek.' They thought, before turning and heading the other way.

"Oh, that is sooo cute." Casey said, looking through the window at an outfit on display. "What do you think, Derek?" Casey asked, turning to him.

Derek was looking the other way, seemingly fixated on a girl who was smiling at him as she sashayed by.

"Derek!" Casey hit him in the shoulder.

Derek grabbed his shoulder and spun around. "Ow! What the hell, Case?" he asked, annoyed and in pain.

Casey scowled. "I was talking to you, but you were too busy ogling that girl to even listen to me!"

"And your point is . . .?" Derek said snarkily.

Casey closed her eyes and counted to 10. 'Oh, fuck this,' she thought, before grabbing Derek's arm and pulling him into the alley next to the shop. "What the hell is your problem?" she asked angrily. "You've been avoiding me like the plague. I thought things were all good between us." Her eyes looked sad, then, and Derek felt guilty.

He ran a hand through his hair. "Geez, Case. Are you sure you're not overreacting a bit? Because I don't know what the hell you're talking about." Derek looked in her eyes before darting them away to a safer place, like the giant stinky dumpster they were standing next to.

"Derek, don't try to pretend with me. I know you too well." She paused. "Is this about that night?' Another pause. "When I asked you to be my . . ."

"No." Derek barked out, putting up his hand. He noticed Casey's worried look and softened. "Look, Case, I just have a lot on my mind lately, OK? I'm . . ." He had trouble getting the word out. "I'm sor . . ." Choke. "I'm sorry if it seemed like I was taking it out on you." 'Whew. That was _not_ easy.' He thought.

Casey studied his face for a moment before smiling. "OK. I believe you. But if there was a problem, you'd tell me right?" she asked hopefully.

"Oh Case. You know I always jump at the chance to point out your problems." Derek smirked, and Casey hit his shoulder again. "Ow, woman! Stop the abuse before I call a cop!" He said smiling.

Casey laughed and grabbed his arm, looping hers through it. "Come on, let's make the most of the time we have left, shall we?"

Derek smiled and let Casey drag him along, stopping at every window to ask his opinion on clothing. And strangely, Derek didn't mind.

George, Nora and Marti were at the designated meeting place. Unfortunately, no one else was. Glancing at his watch again, George said, "Where are they? I tell ya, kids don't respect time anymore."

Nora laughed, because for some reason that seemed funny to her. "Oh, Georgie, I'm sure they just lost track of time. They'll be here soon. You know kids, always pushing the boundaries."

George looked at her like she had grown another head. "Wait a minute. Is this really happening?" At Nora's confused look, he added, "Am I really the one who's worrying and _you're_ being laid back? Is this some kind of bizarro world or something?" George said, pacing back and forth.

"George, stop. You're making me dizzy." Nora said. "I guess you're right. Usually I'd be freaking out by now, but look, they're only 15 minutes late. Let's give them another 15 before we call out the Mounties, OK?" she asked him pleadingly.

Marti said nothing during this, instead leaning against Nora with her eyes closed. All the walking had wore her out. George sat down next to Nora and put his arm around her. "You're right. As usual." He added before kissing Nora's forehead and settling in to wait.

Edwin and Lizzie were having a great time, reminiscing about all their schemes and research projects, and surprisingly, Lizzie found that Edwin could be quite insightful when it came to relationships. She had confided a few things to him about Jamie, and he had given her a few points that she hadn't thought of. When Lizzie asked Edwin about his relationships, however, he clammed up, saying that he was between girlfriends at the moment. Lizzie didn't push it, instead hoping that if he ever did have a problem, he would feel comfortable enough to come to her with it.

Walking down the street, they could see George, Nora and Marti waiting for them. All looked tired and ready to take a nap. Derek and Casey were nowhere to be seen, however, and Lizzie smiled, picturing Casey in her head, dragging Derek into stores and asking him to wait while she tried on outfit after outfit. Derek, of course, would be standing there with his arms crossed and his eyes rolling, but he would be there, nonetheless.

"Hey G, Nora," Edwin said, nodding to Nora. Taking in Marti's sleepiness, he didn't address her. Waking Marti up during a nap was a risky operation, and could result in a very cranky nine-year-old. And nobody wanted that.

"Hey guys." Nora said. She looked around them. "You haven't seen Casey and Derek, have you?"

Lizzie went on to explain how she and Casey had run into Derek and Edwin at the restaurant and how they all ate together before splitting up into new pairs. "And that was the last time we saw them." She concluded. Edwin nodded his agreement.

George sighed. "Well, they have exactly. . ." he glanced at his watch, "Five minutes before they're in real trouble." Edwin about cracked up at George's attempt to be strict. It just wasn't something you saw everyday. Instead, he and Liz sat down next to Marti to wait.

"So, we only have a month left before we're Seniors!" Casey said excitedly to Derek as they were walking to meet the rest of the family.

"Yep, and I can't wait to get out of that place." Derek agreed. He knew they were late, and was trying to move fast, which meant he was pulling Casey along by her hand and dragging her as quickly as he could past the shops before she decided she wanted to stop and make him wait outside _yet another_ dressing room. She hadn't even bought anything, just a pair of earrings. 'What's the point of trying on all those clothes if you're not even going to buy one thing?'

Casey snorted. "And I'm sure Lassiter won't be too sad to see us go."

Derek agreed, stopping at an intersection to wait for the light to change. "Casey, watch out!" He cried, grabbing Casey and jumping back from the curb as a fast-moving car whipped past them.

Startled, Casey stumbled back, running into Derek and almost knocking him off balance. He caught himself and put his arms around her to keep her from tumbling over. Grateful, Casey looked into his face. "Chalk up another one for Derek." At his confused expression, she added, "just one more time that you looked out for me." She said softly, her hand caressing his.

Derek stared into her eyes for a moment before snapping himself out of it. Smiling, he said, "What would you ever do without me?"

Casey's expression was serious as she said, "I don't know, and I don't want to ever find out."

Taken aback, Derek said nothing, instead squeezing Casey's hand before tugging her across the street.

**Review please!**


	33. Chapter 33

**Note: OK. I've said it once, and I'll say it again: This will upset fans of Dasey. Here's what I say to all those who think it's weird to have a Casey/Edwin pairing: Don't imagine Edwin as he is on the show. Imagine someone totally different (in appearance). And again, it's all part of the larger journey, my dear readers.**

**Chapter Thirty-Three: Edwin Goes For Broke**

Back at the cabin after dinner, George and Nora declared it was "Family Game Night" and proceeded to drag out all of the board, dice, card, and any other games there were out of the massive closet. Derek groaned, but everyone else seemed fine with it.

They spent the night playing charades, Pictionary, Life, Sorry, Uno and a few others. Casey had to admit that it was fun competing against, and in the case of Pictionary, partnering with, Derek. They were back to their old selves again, and Casey had never been happier. For the first time since "that night", she felt hopeful for the future. And she knew she had a great support system in Derek and Edwin. They would make sure that Casey wouldn't be alone to deal with the aftermath. The thought made her smile.

The next morning, George pulled Casey and Derek aside. "Look guys, I want you to take the kids and disappear for a few hours, OK?"

Derek looked disinterested. "Why?"

George said nothing, but continued to look at him. Derek suddenly got it. "Oh, ewwwww."

George rolled his eyes. "Hey, I know it's a family vacation, but Nora and I would like a little alone time if you know what I mean." He winked at Derek, who tried not to barf.

Casey looked a little green herself. Her eyes on Derek, she said to George, "I'm sure we can handle that, right Derek?"

"Well, I don't know about that . . ." Casey jabbed her elbow into his ribs. "I mean, sure, we can do that." Derek said, glaring at Casey. "Any suggestions on where we could go?"

Casey had an idea. "How about we take everyone to see a movie? I mean, it's kind of cloudy today anyway, so . . ."

"That's a great idea!" George jumped on that. He ran to get his wallet, taking out a small bundle. "Here. There's enough there for the tickets, munchies, and whatever else you might need."

Derek went to grab the money, but Casey beat him to it. "Thanks a lot, George. How long would you like us to be gone?"

George thought a moment. "Well, if you leave at around 11 a.m., that will give us . . . how about until three?"

Casey smiled. "Sure, we can do that. I hope you and mom have a great day." Casey said before walking away.

Derek watched Casey exit the room before leaning into George. "Just stay out of the hot tub, OK? Other people want to use that."

George nodded. "Got it." He smiled and walked into the kitchen for breakfast.

After arguing about who (Derek or Casey) was going to drive, they set off for town. "Derek, quit telling me how to drive! I'm the one who got my license first, remember?" Casey said, majorly annoyed.

"I'm only trying to help." Derek said huffily before sitting back in his seat, arms crossed.

"Can you please not distract the driver?" Lizzie asked exasperated. "I really don't want to get into an accident."

"Liz! I would never let Derek distract me enough to lose control of the car!" Casey said, offended.

"I'm sorry, Casey, I didn't mean to imply . . ." The arguing continued until they reached the movie theatre . . .

And was still going on while they were parking . . .

And was still dragging on into the lobby. "Enough!" Marti screamed. "I can't take it anymore! This is supposed to be a vacation! Not a three-ring circus! So. Shut. Up!" Everyone stopped talking and stared at her, including other patrons and theatre employees.

It worked, though . . . for about a minute. Until it was time to pick which movie they were going to watch. Marti wanted to see the latest kid's flick, of course, while Derek and Edwin wanted to watch the latest action movie. Casey and Lizzie were looking for a nice chick flick, but there was nothing out that they hadn't already seen. Edwin had an idea. He pulled Derek aside. "Derek. I have a favor to ask. Can you find a way to let me and Casey be alone?" At Derek's expression, Edwin added, "Please? I haven't had any time alone with her at all." He stuck out his lip and used his puppy dog eyes. He knew that Derek had a hard time refusing him when he did that.

Derek thought for a moment. "Nope."

"D! Come on! Help a brother out, would ya?" Edwin pleaded.

Derek didn't want to be a part of Edwin's plan to get closer to Casey. He knew that would be nothing but trouble. "Ed, look, have you really thought about this? I mean, do you _really_ think you can have a relationship with Casey? What about our parents?"

"Well, I'll never find out if I can't even spend any time with her." Edwin pouted.

'Oh, for crying out loud!' Derek relented. "Alright. Let me think for a second, OK?" He stepped away from Edwin and started to pace.

At that moment, Casey approached Edwin. "So, what's the deal? Are we going to decide on a movie or stand here all day?"

Edwin said nothing, hoping that Derek would come through for him. It seemed like he might when he stopped pacing and headed back to Edwin and Casey. "Well. I've made a decision." Derek stated. "I've decided to be the best big brother ever and _not_ take my sisters to a movie."

Everyone looked at him, confused. "Huh?" said Lizzie.

"Yeah, Smerek, what are you talking about?" Marti asked, crossing her arms.

"Spill it, Derek. What are you thinking?" Casey added.

Derek smiled indulgently. "I've decided that instead of taking my _favorite_" – making sure that Casey knew she wasn't included – "sisters to a boring old movie that we could see anytime," he paused dramatically, "Instead, I would take them to the Vancouver Museum!" Derek looked at Lizzie and Marti for their reactions.

They stared blankly at Derek for a minute before Lizzie spoke. "A museum? _You_ want to go to a museum?"

Derek shrugged. "Well, I noticed it as we were driving in, and I also noticed that on their sign they have a special exhibit going on – an underwater fish exhibit!" Derek said proudly.

"Uh, Smerek, aren't all fish underwater?" Marti asked.

Derek looked blank for a moment. "Oh, well, yeah, but they have an awesome aquarium and everything! And I know how much you and Liz enjoy marine life! What do you say? You in?" Derek asked, trying to look excited. If the girls agreed to this, Edwin would owe him big time.

Lizzie and Marti looked at each other for a minute, no doubt having a silent conversation with their eyes, before Marti replied, "Let's do it!" She rushed forward and jumped into Derek's arms. Smiling and laughing, he spun her around.

Casey looked skeptical. "What about me and Edwin? Aren't we invited?"

Edwin quickly jumped in. "Uh, Casey, why don't we take this opportunity to return to some of the stores you saw yesterday. Derek was telling me how much you enjoyed window shopping." It was true. Last night Derek had complained to Edwin that Casey had dragged him to every store so she could try on outfits that she didn't even buy. Edwin had wanted to be the one who Casey dragged places. 'That came out wrong.' Edwin laughed to himself.

Casey's expression changed. "Hmmmm, well, you might have something there, Ed." She paused, then continued. "Sounds like a plan. Derek, can you give us a ride to the shopping district on your way to the museum?"

"Not a problem, Space-Case." Derek said, smiling. He glanced briefly at Edwin, who was smiling from ear to ear. Derek had a funny feeling in his chest, but he couldn't figure out why. Well, he actually thought he might know, but he didn't want to think about that.

"Great." Casey said, ignoring Derek's name for her. "We just need to make sure we meet up again in time to be back to the cabin by three, seeing as we don't have cell phones." 'What a stupid rule mom made for this trip! What if there was an emergency!' Casey thought to herself.

"Right." Edwin agreed.

A few minutes later, Derek dropped Edwin and Casey off, and before leaving, Edwin leaned into the driver's window to talk to Derek. "Thanks a lot, bro. I owe you big time." He whispered, clapping Derek on the shoulder.

Derek looked in the rearview mirror before answering. "Yeah, yeah. Don't say I never did anything for ya." He glanced at Casey, who was waiting on the sidewalk, her eyes on them. "And don't do anything I wouldn't do." He joked before taking off.

Edwin laughed. 'Well, that was a bad example,' Edwin thought, 'because I know what Derek is capable of.' He thought about that for a moment before heading toward Casey.

An hour later, Edwin was still figuring how to get Casey "alone". So far, she had dragged Edwin to all the stores, and had asked for his opinion on everything from pants, to shirts, to skirts, to shoes, to jewelry, to hats. Edwin didn't care if he never saw another article of clothing again. He smirked to himself. 'In fact, I would love it if Casey wasn't wearing any clothing . . .' He snapped himself out of it and focused in on what she was saying.

"So, I'm thinking that it might be too much green if I were to match the green jeans with the green shoes and jewelry. What do you think?" Casey said, looking at Edwin.

Edwin thought Casey would look good wearing a burlap sack. "Uh, I think you're probably right, Case. That _would_ be too much green." He said, hoping that was the right thing to say. 'What is wrong with me? I'm turning into a big wuss!' He mentally slapped himself. 'Remember, Casey seemed to like it when you were the aggressor, so show some balls!' He mentally coached himself.

"Yeah, you're right. Thanks, Edwin." Casey smiled and led him out of the store.

They walked awhile before Edwin spoke. "Hey, Case. I was wondering if we could talk a bit, seeing as how we haven't had much time together lately."

Casey turned her head to glance at him. "Uh, sure Ed. Anything in particular?" For some reason, she was nervous.

Whether he knew it or not, Edwin had led them to a park in the center of town. He spied a picnic table and sat down, motioning for Casey to join him. She did, taking a seat next to him. Edwin was suddenly tongue-tied. "Uh, well, you see . . . I was wondering . . ." Oh god, he felt like he was going to throw up. He had no idea how Casey would react, and he was terrified that she would reject him again.

"Ed?" Casey asked patiently. She wasn't stupid. She knew exactly what Edwin wanted to talk about, and she felt guilty, because she should have spoken to him about it awhile ago.

Edwin took a deep breath before speaking. "Case, I know we've acknowledged that there is something between us, but I was wondering if you had given any thought as to what that might be, and what we might do about it." He paused, then added, "If anything." He didn't want to add that last part; didn't want to give Casey an out, but he also didn't want to make her feel like she was being pressured either. He sat, waiting for her reaction.

Casey didn't know what to do. Yes, there was something there, but what could they do about it? She knew that Edwin had deep feelings for her; had expectations about them that Casey hadn't even thought of. She was just so confused lately, and she didn't want to hurt Edwin in the process of trying to figure out just what the heck she wanted. And through all this there was a running statement in her head: _'He's only 15, Casey, he's only 15.'_ As much as his body looked older, and most of the time, he acted older, underneath, there was a young guy who thought he was in love with his older stepsister. He probably had it all romanticized in his head, like they would fall in love and live happily ever after. Casey didn't want to crush those thoughts, but she was feeling guilty about maybe leading him on in the past. There was no doubt that she was attracted to him, sure. Late at night, she would think about him as she touched herself, sometimes pretending that her vibrator was his dick moving in and out her. The thought of that right now made her flush, and she blinked to compose herself. But she also couldn't deny that there was something about Derek that drew her to him. She knew he didn't feel the same; she had tried enough times to know that. And she knew she couldn't continue to hate Sally either. It wasn't her fault, really. She was just a girl who happened to snag Derek's heart. And she seemed to make him happy, so how could Casey argue with that? 'Ugh, I hate this!' she thought, before looking back up at Edwin, who was sitting before her with what looked like an expression of dread on his face. 'Let him down easy, Case.'

She sighed and spoke. "Ed, I can't deny that I feel something for you," At this, Edwin's eyes brightened. "However . . ." she paused, and Edwin's eyes lost some of their spark, "It just doesn't feel like the right thing to do to pursue anything at this time." Edwin said nothing, continuing to stare at Casey. Nervously, she went on. "I mean, if it was another time, another place – if you weren't my stepbrother, and if you were older – then, sure, I would consider . . ."

Edwin didn't want to hear it. He held up his hand to stop her. "Case." He stopped, then continued. "Are you telling me that you're passing up what could be the greatest thing in your life because you're scared? That doesn't sound like the Casey _I_ know." He was purposely goading her a bit, hoping to fire her up. Not that he wanted to make her angry at him, he just couldn't stand this logical, non-emotional girl sitting before him, speaking in measured tones like she was ordering something from a menu instead of breaking his heart.

Casey was taken aback by Edwin's outburst, and frankly, she was a little pissed off. 'The best thing in my life? Well, he sure is cocky, isn't he? And calling me scared? Well, I guess I can't argue with that one, except I'm not gonna let _him_ know that.' Casey cocked her eyebrow and shot back, "Well, aren't _we_ full of ourselves? How do you know that? How do you know anything? As far as I know, you've never even had a serious relationship, and you want your first one to be with your _stepsister_?" She huffed angrily.

Edwin fought the urge to smile. There was the sassy woman he loved so much. "Yeah, pretty much." He sat back against the table and crossed his arms, waiting to see what she would do. He had tried being her confidante, he tried giving her space, and he tried scheming and plotting to get some time alone with her. He was done. Edwin was going to lay it all out on the table and see what she thought about that. It could backfire, sure, but if it did, at least he would know that he tried his hardest. There would be no regrets.

Casey was speechless. She sat there with her mouth hanging open, not knowing what to say about that. She was expecting Edwin to start arguing with her. _'That's what Derek would do.'_ Casey shook her head and focused. Edwin was still sitting there, his arms crossed and a confident look on his face. And suddenly, Casey was very turned on. 'What the hell is my damage?' she thought to herself. She now had to admit that Edwin was most attractive to her when he was being confident and open about his desire for her. She realized with a start that she was probably attracted to Derek because he didn't give in to her easily; he was a challenge. Of course, there was more to it, but she could think about that later . . .

Edwin must have gotten tired of waiting, because he leaned forward and took Casey's hand. "Case, I know you've been through a lot lately, and I want you to know I haven't forgotten about that. However, I have to tell you – it drives me crazy being so near to you and not being able to touch or kiss you, feel your skin and taste your lips. Run my fingers through your hair and gaze into your eyes." He paused, gathering more courage before continuing. "I told you before and I'll say it again. You're all I think about. I want to be with you, and I don't care about anything else. I don't care about our parents, or what my friends will think." He added quickly, "Of course, I don't want to cause anyone any pain, but I'm not going to let fear get in the way of us being together. On my part, at least." Edwin took a deep breath and expressed what he has been feeling for awhile, even before Casey started flirting with him. "Casey McDonald, I'm in love with you. You are the most beautiful, interesting, funny, smart, sexy, desirable woman I have ever met. And I want you to be mine." Looking at Casey's flabbergasted face, he quickly amended, "And not in a possessive, he-man way either. I just want to make you happy." He caressed his thumb over Casey's hand and smoothed it over the skin of her wrist before bringing her hand to his lips and gently kissing it.

Casey had never been so shocked in her life. She knew Edwin felt deeply for her, and he had expressed it before, but not to this extent, and not in such a . . . beautiful, loving way. She felt her heart melting and knew that his flowery words were working its magic inside her. Oh hell, didn't she want to change her life? Well, this would definitely be a change. But would it cause more trouble than it was worth? She didn't know. What she did know was that there was a handsome, funny, earnest young man in front of her who had just confessed his undying love and passion for her. Casey might never hear anything like that from a guy again. In fact, she knew she never would, because there was no one on Earth who expressed themselves as well as Edwin did. She looked at him sitting there, his fingers caressing the skin of her arm, his eyes warm and open, the sun shining off his dark hair . . . her eyes moving downward, taking in the muscles of his arms, not too big, not too small, the leanness of his runner's legs, skin golden in the sun . . . and she knew. She couldn't say no. And before her mind could try and argue her out of it, her body made its move and she darted forward, startling Edwin, who instinctively moved back, his eyes widening.

In front of God and everyone in the park who were walking their dogs, or having a picnic, or pushing their kids on the swings, Casey straddled Edwin, wrapped her arms around him and kissed him for all she was worth. And at that moment, it felt like the most right thing in the world.

**Review please!**


	34. Chapter 34

**Disclaimer: **None. I own them all. Mwahahahahahahaha!

**Chapter Thirty-Four: Discretion is Advised**

Derek was distracted. He was only half-paying attention to the things that Lizzie and Marti were pointing out to him. Things like, "Look, Smerek, a puffer fish!", or "Derek, that is so cool! Check it out!" Derek would absentmindedly nod his head and say things like, "Wow, Smarti, that _is_ neat." And "You're right, Liz, I've never seen _that_ before."

For not being a fan of museums, and really not caring about marine life, Derek had to admit that the place was pretty cool. Unfortunately, his preoccupation with something (or someone) else was making it hard for him to enjoy it. Derek had to come clean with himself and admit the fact that he was curious as hell as to what (if anything) was going on with Casey and Edwin. He wondered what they were doing, where they were, what they were talking about – everything. It was driving him crazy, and he hated it.

Of course, Derek wanted to see his brother happy – just not with Casey. It was a bad idea all around, he thought, and it would only end in heartbreak. At least, that's what he kept telling himself.

Casey was hot. She could feel the sun (which had just recently made an appearance) beating on her back as she straddled Edwin on the picnic table bench. At first, Edwin was so startled by her quick movement that all he could do was sit there with his arms at his sides as she kissed him feverishly. But his instincts quickly kicked in, and soon, he had his arms wrapped tightly around her and was returning her kiss just as urgently.

"Ahem!" Came a loud voice from behind Casey. She broke her connection with Edwin, but didn't move off his lap. Turning, she noticed an elderly woman walking by with her dog. She had a disapproving look on her face, no doubt trying to make a statement about Casey and Edwin's public display of affection.

Casey turned back to Edwin, who was still holding her and trying to catch his breath. Looking into each other's eyes, they smiled. "I guess we should straighten ourselves up a little." Casey said reluctantly before getting off Edwin's lap. She stood, smoothing her clothes down and running her fingers through her hair.

Edwin looked disappointed, but he understood Casey's reason. She was feisty, but she wasn't a total exhibitionist, especially in front of old ladies and families with kids. He stood up and looked at Casey. Grabbing her hand he said, "So, does this mean what I think it means?" he asked hopefully.

Casey glanced down at their joined hands and thought for a moment. 'What _does_ this mean?' She didn't have an answer. "Ed, I'm not sure what answer you're looking for, but I _will_ tell you this: I really enjoy spending time with you, I love the way you express your feelings to me, and I have feelings for you – I just don't know for sure what they are yet." She paused. "I don't want to hurt you, Ed. That's the last thing I want to do. So, can you be patient with me while I try to figure some things out?" She said, her eyes pleading with him.

Edwin didn't know what to think about that. Her answer really didn't tell him anything, and he was just as clueless, if not more so, about what they were to each other. He decided to push a little bit. "Case, can I call you my girl?" he asked, rubbing the inside of her wrist with his thumb.

'How does he know I love that?' Casey thought to herself. She looked at Edwin and smiled. Hopefully that would temper what she had to say. "You know I can't make any commitments right now, Ed. It's too soon after . . ." she didn't finish the sentence, but they both knew what she trying to get across. _Too soon after Brett._

Edwin looked stricken. "I'm sorry, Case. I don't mean to be pushy. I guess I'm just a little impatient when it comes to you. Forgive me?" _'Don't be a wuss, Ed._' A voice sounding suspiciously like Derek's sounded in his head. Edwin shook his head a bit to clear it.

Casey smiled and squeezed his hand. "It's OK. As long as we have an open line of communication, I think everything will be fine." She looked down at her watch. "We should head back to the shopping area. Derek and the girls should be there in 15 minutes."

Edwin agreed, and they headed off hand in hand.

They made it back in 10 minutes and Casey took the time to lay a few ground rules for Edwin and herself. "OK, Ed. If we're gonna explore 'this,'" she said, waving her hand between the two of them, "then we have to be discreet. No one can know about this. I think it will only distract us. Do you agree?" She looked at Edwin for confirmation.

Edwin bristled. He didn't know how she was going to take this. "Well, uh, Case, here's the thing: Derek already knows." He said, looking at Casey for her reaction.

Her face showed surprise, and something that resembled anger, but it was gone quickly. "What? How? What does he know?" she sputtered out. Casey didn't know how to feel about that.

Edwin took a deep breath. "Well, I told Derek that I was in love with you a few weeks ago. And today, I asked him to help me figure out a way for you and I to be alone." He held his breath waiting for the explosion.

None came. Instead, Casey was standing there in front of him with a weird look on her face. Sort of like she couldn't decide how to feel about it. Finally, she spoke. "Well, I have to say, Ed, I'm not sure how to feel about Derek knowing. Do you trust him not to say anything to anyone?" Casey wasn't sure she could, but she didn't know why she felt like that. Lately, Derek had done nothing but be there for her and take care of her.

Edwin leveled a look at Casey. "Case, do you really think that after everything that's happened Derek would sell us out? I don't think so. I mean, he doesn't agree with us getting together, but I think he knows how happy you make me, and he respects that." Edwin hoped that was the case, at least.

Casey seemed to accept that. For now. She would have to talk to Derek later. "Well, no one else in the family knows, right?"

"Right." Edwin stated.

"OK, then. I don't want anyone else finding out, which means that we're going to have to act normal." She paused and looked at him carefully, making sure he was paying attention and understood what she was saying. "Which means . . . no excessive touching, no flirting, and definitely no kissing where anyone could see us. Agreed?"

Edwin fought the urge to roll his eyes. Casey sometimes treated him like he was an idiot. "Of course Case, I get all that. I'm not an idiot, you know." He said.

Casey looked apologetic. "I'm sorry, Edwin. I just want us to cover our bases." She smiled and looked around before dragging him around the corner of the building. She pushed Edwin against the brick wall and pressed herself against him. Leaning forward, she spoke softly, "I just don't want to get caught before anything's even started, understand?" She asked, looking deep into Edwin's eyes, which were swirling with desire.

"Yeah, I understand." He mumbled before grabbing her and kissing her, their lips parting and tongues meeting. Edwin moved his hands down to her ass and cupped it with his palms, gently squeezing and grinding his erection into her.

Casey let out a moan and twisted her fist into his shirt, her other hand going up around his neck. They stayed like that for a while, exploring each other in the alleyway, hands smoothing over each other, lips meeting again and again before Casey realized that they should snap out of it and go wait for Derek to show up. She reluctantly pulled her lips away from Edwin's and untangled her body from his. They were both breathing heavily and Edwin was sporting an impressive erection. Glancing at it, Casey said jokingly, "Can't get into the car with that, babe."

Edwin looked down at himself. 'Shit,' he thought. 'I need a _very_ cold shower.' Instead, he ignored Casey and paced back and forth, thinking of the most hideous, unattractive things he could: fat nuns, hairy moles, rotted teeth, saggy breasts. That seemed to do the trick until he glanced back up at Casey and saw her leaning against the building sexily, her long legs crossed, arms folded under her breasts, accentuating them. 'Damn, she is beautiful.' He thought, before striding purposefully over to her and kissing her one last time. "One for the road." He smirked, before they turned and headed back to wait for Derek.

When Derek pulled up five minutes later, he noticed something: Edwin and Casey were standing on the curb, still as statues, with matching smiles on their faces. 'That's weird,' he thought.

Derek stopped the car and Edwin moved forward, opening the door for Casey. She smiled briefly at him before getting in, Edwin following behind. They rode in silence for a bit until Casey spoke. "So . . . how was the museum?"

"Oh man, it was great! There was sharks and fish and octopuses . . ." Marti said excitedly.

Lizzie nodded in agreement. "It _was_ pretty cool. Thanks for taking us Derek."

"No problem, Liz. I'm glad you and Marti had a good time." He replied, his eyes on Edwin and Casey through the rearview mirror. "So, how was shopping?" Derek asked, directing the question at his brother.

Edwin smiled and looked at Casey. "Well, bro. You were right, Casey _does_ love to try on outfits and then buy nothing. But we had an OK time, right Case?"

Casey allowed a small smile to reach her lips. She was trying to play it cool, but she felt like she was failing. "We had a nice time," was all she said.

Derek knew that something was different. He could feel it in his bones, and he could practically feel the crackle of electricity between Edwin and Casey. They weren't touching, barely even talking or looking at one another, but it didn't matter. Derek knew that something had happened that afternoon between them, and the thought of it made a ripple of dread creep down his spine.

The rest of the drive was silent, except for Marti, who regaled Edwin and Casey with _every_ single thing she had seen at the marine exhibit. They nodded politely and added a comment here and there to let Marti know they were listening.

Pulling up to the cabin, Derek hoped that his dad and Nora were "ready" for them to be home. He had seen enough parental nakedness to last a lifetime. He made a point to make a lot of noise upon entering in order to tip them off. "Well!" He said loudly. "What a great day we had!" He almost sounded robotic and Marti started laughing.

"Smerek, why are you talking like that? And we're not deaf. You don't have to shout."

Derek smiled. "I know, Smarti, I just thought it would be funny." '_Lame_.'

Casey was relieved when she heard her mother and George entering the kitchen from their bedroom. "Hey kids! How was your day?" Nora asked cheerfully.

"Great!" Marti spoke for all of them. Derek took us to . . ." And she proceeded to tell George and Nora all about her adventures at the museum, Lizzie occasionally adding things.

Casey went into the living room and sat down on the massive couch, kicking off her shoes. All the walking the past few days was hell on her feet. Considering that she still hadn't used the hot tub, she thought tonight would be the best time. She couldn't wait to slide into that hot, steamy water and gaze at the stars. She felt the couch dip and looked over at Edwin, who had sat down next to her, careful to leave a few feet between them. He smiled and winked at her before grabbing the remote and turning on the TV.

His attention on the screen, Casey took a moment to examine Edwin's profile. Today, his hair was a mess of waves, as it was a little humid. What little sun there was had added a touch of color to his cheeks, making him look a little flushed. Although it could be from their grope-fest earlier . . . Casey licked her lips at the thought. She knew he hadn't shaved this morning, because she could feel his whiskers when she was kissing him. The five o'clock shadow made his jaw line more prominent, and Casey suddenly had the urge to lean over and run her tongue along it. Jaw lines were a major turn-on for Casey. She wasn't sure why.

Suddenly, Edwin grabbed a throw pillow from the end of the couch and placed it between them. He subtly stretched out his arm and extended his hand, palm open, signaling for Casey to do the same. She did, and they clasped hands, Edwin moving the pillow with his other hand to cover it. Casey felt like she was playing with fire, daring her parents and the rest of the family to catch them. The thought both terrified her and aroused her immensely. Oh, she would definitely have to get Edwin alone tonight for a little "one on one" time. Casey's face flushed and she shifted, trying to ease the throbbing between her legs.

Casey jumped when she heard George's voice behind them. "What do you kids want for dinner tonight?" He was rummaging around in the fridge.

"Anything. I'm starving." Derek's voice rang out from the deck.

"You're always hungry Derek." Nora's voice answered.

"Hey, I'm a growing boy." Derek snarked.

"I want pizza!" Marti screamed.

"I don't really care what we have," Lizzie threw in. She seemed to think about that and added, "Except steak. I'm not a fan of steak." She repeated as if they didn't know that already.

"OK, no steak. And Marti, I don't think the pizza guy delivers up here on the mountain, so no pizza either." George said.

Marti pouted a moment, and then had an idea. "Did you buy fish sticks at the store?" she asked hopefully.

George opened the freezer. "We sure did, Marti." He said, taking out a box. "Fish sticks it is!" Everyone laughed at his usual goofiness, except for Derek, who was sitting on the deck deep in thought.

The rest of the night was spent watching movies. The first movie they watched was _The Game Plan_, mainly because it was the only family-friendly film they could all agree on. After Marti went to bed, however, they put in _X-Men_. Almost everyone (except Casey) had seen it before, but it was a favorite in the McDonald-Venturi household, and Casey didn't want to be the sole dissenter. Besides, she knew Hugh Jackman was in it, and she thought he was _hot_.

Halfway through the movie, Nora was asleep on George's shoulder, and he looked ready to pass out himself. Edwin nudged him. "Hey dad, why don't you and Nora hit the sack? You look pretty tired."

George sat up. "Yeah, you're right, Ed. As much as I like this movie, I just can't seem to keep my eyes open. I had a tiring day." He added with a smile that Edwin couldn't quite place. He gently shook Nora, who had her hands resting over her now-curved stomach.

"Hmmm?" She mumbled, eyes still closed.

"Come on, honey. Let's go to bed." George put his arm around Nora and helped her up. "Night kids, don't stay up all night, OK?" He didn't bother to wait for a response, instead directing all his concentration into not running him and Nora into a wall.

"Night kids. Love you." Nora mumbled. A moment later, they heard the 'snick' of their bedroom door closing.

Edwin chanced a glance at Lizzie, who was very much awake and seemed to be very engrossed in the movie. 'Well, I can't order her to go to bed.' He thought to himself.

Derek, too, seemed engrossed, although he was quite fidgety on the couch next to him.

"Dude, do you have to go to the bathroom or something?" Edwin asked him.

Derek tore his eyes away from the movie. "No, why are you asking me that?" He sounded annoyed.

"Well, because you're pretty jumpy, and it reminded me of those toddlers you see who have to go pee but for some reason don't want to go, so they end up moving all around . . ." Edwin trailed off at Derek's look. "Guess not."

Casey snickered beside him and Edwin glanced at her, a smile on his face. "You hush up, woman." He said softly to her.

Derek couldn't take it anymore. He got up abruptly and excused himself. "Well, as fun as this is," he paused, looking at Casey and Edwin, "I'm going to knock off for the night." He turned and left the room, leaving Lizzie, Casey and Edwin to look at each other and shrug.

"Wonder what his problem is?" Lizzie said.

Edwin and Casey glanced at each other. They thought they knew, and they both had it right – and wrong.

**Review please!**


	35. Chapter 35

**Disclaimer:** Wow. The Dasey fans are not happy! Well, I warned ya, and I appreciate you continuing to read the story. I'm not guaranteeing anything, however, so please keep your displeasure to a dull roar. 

**Chapter Thirty-Five: Derek and Casey Come Clean – Sort Of, Not Really**

'No-body knows . . . the trouble I've seen . . . no-body knows my sor-row . . .' Derek sang drunkenly in his head. He was in his room sipping out a bottle of Vodka that he had found in a cabinet in the kitchen. "Fucking Casey and Edwin," he said.

Derek knew this would happen, was scared shitless of it, really. He knew that Edwin wouldn't let this opportunity pass to try to get closer to Casey. Derek wasn't sure how he knew, he just did. There was something about being away from home, in a romantic setting, that made women lose their heads. At least that was what his dad told him on more than one occasion. George had proposed to Abby, Derek's mom, on a trip to Niagara Falls, which isn't exactly an exotic location, but for two college students on a budget, it worked pretty well.

Derek took another swig from the bottle. He also knew this: Being away from home, away from his loving girlfriend; put in more close quarters with the girl who drove him all kinds of crazy – _not_ conducive to his mental health. Derek knew that the feelings he harbored for Casey would rear their ugly head sooner or later. That's why he was trying so hard to get out of going. "Fuck." He whispered. 'This is not good.' He took a big swig and almost choked, Vodka running down his chin and onto his shirt. "Story of my life." He said morosely, staring at the wall.

Everyone else was in bed and Casey was restless. She tossed and turned, trying to get comfortable, but nothing was working. After what happened between her and Edwin today, her mind was having a hard time shutting itself off. Edwin declaring his feelings for her, his gentleness, the look in his eyes before he kissed her . . . Casey's head was spinning and her heart was racing. 'Not helping!' she thought to herself.

Sighing loudly, she sat up and swung her legs off the bed. 'I wonder if Derek is still awake.' Casey wanted to talk to him about what he knew and if he was going to keep it quiet. She looked down at herself to see if she should change before going to confront him. She was wearing a pair of shorts and a pink tank top. Even though it got cool up in the mountains at night, the air inside the cabin was toasty warm. She approached the mirror and looked at herself. Her hair was a bit straggly, so she grabbed a hair tie and put it up in a messy ponytail. She scrubbed her hands over her face and declared herself ready to go.

After a quick trip downstairs to grab a bottle of water, Casey found herself in front of Derek's door. There was light coming from underneath it, so she assumed he was awake. She looked around before lightly knocking.

Derek was in the middle of a rousing rendition of "99 Bottles of Vodka on the Wall" when he heard a knock on his door. 'Shit!' he thought, quickly capping the Vodka and hiding it under his covers. Shooting up off the floor, he glimpsed himself in the mirror. His eyes weren't too red, so he could pass it off as just being tired. He sniffed his breath. He had to do something about the alcohol fumes. "Just a minute!" he called before racing to his knapsack in the closet and rummaging around for . . . there they are! His favorite mints. He popped three of them into his mouth and swished them around. The knock sounded again, and he heard Casey's voice. "Derek? It's me. Can I come in? I want to talk to you."

"Figures," Derek said to himself and proceeded to spit the mints out in the trash. He walked to the door and cracked it. "Yeah?" Casey stood there, shifting from side to side. She looked nervous. They stared at each other in silence until Derek said, "Well, as fascinating as this conversation has been, I'm busy."

He went to shut the door when he heard, "Derek, wait." Her voice flowed over him like a wave and in his drunken mind his knees went weak. 'Snap out of it, Derek. Remember your girlfriend? You know, _Sally?_'

"Spacey, why do you always wait until I'm ready to go to sleep to spring these convos on me?" he asked, trying to sound annoyed. His eyes ran over her figure, taking in the way the tank top hugged her curves. She wasn't wearing a bra, he noticed, and her legs . . .

Casey's voice snapped him back. "Can I come in?"

Well, they had to get this over with sooner or later. "Alright. But just for a minute." He stood back to let her in before leaning out the door and looking around. Seeing nothing, he ducked back in and shut the door.

Casey took a seat in the chair by the window, while Derek perched himself back on the bed, his hand reaching to clasp the bottle underneath the covers. The sooner she left, the sooner he could continue to drown his sorrows. He would only allow himself this once, because continuing to pine for his stepsister was out of the question. He just couldn't do it. 'Sally, Sally, Sally,' he chanted in his head, while his eyes roamed up Casey's legs, which were crossed, one foot bobbing up and down anxiously. "Oh, the hell with this," he said, grabbing the bottle.

Casey's eyes widened when she saw Derek pull out a bottle of Vodka, open it and take a huge gulp. "What the hell? Derek, where did you get that?"

Derek swallowed, then spoke. "Found it in the kitchen. I guess dad's boss _does_ know how to party."

"Oh my god. You're drunk. Derek, we're on our family vacation, and you're _drunk_?" Casey stood up and moved toward the bed, towering over him with her hands on her hips. "What is the matter with you?"

Derek looked up at Casey, with the stern look on her face, hands on her hips and her foot tapping like a disapproving parent, and busted up laughing. He almost spilled the contents of the bottle on himself as he was howling with laughter.

"Shhhh. Derek, be quiet! Do you want to alert everyone that you're loaded?" Casey said nervously.

That sobered Derek up a bit, and he quieted down. He continued to giggle, though, as Casey sat down next to him, putting her hand on his shoulder. "Derek, what's wrong that you're in here getting drunk by yourself?" Her tone annoyed him.

"Why do you assume that there's something wrong? Maybe I just felt like getting drunk." He said, the effects of the alcohol hitting him hard. His vision swam and his head spun. "Casey, stop moving, it's making me dizzy." He slurred, leaning forward.

"Give me that." Casey said, ripping the bottle out of his hand. "You've had enough." She capped it and set it aside.

"Aw, are you my mom? Cuz I already have one." Derek said, looking up at Casey. His eyes changed and he blurted out, "Have a drink with me, Case. Let's hang out." He leaned over Casey and grabbed the liquor, opening it and offering it to her.

Casey eyed the bottle for a moment before shrugging and taking it from him. She sniffed it before taking a drink, her face screwing up at the taste. This made Derek laugh again and he fell back on the bed.

"Shut up, Derek!" Casey said, smiling. "Just because I'm not a lush like you . . ."

Derek sat up. "Yeah, whatever, lightweight." He nudged her with his shoulder.

Casey took another drink and got serious. "I want to talk to you about what you know."

Eyeing her, Derek said, "I know a lot of things, Case. Just what are you referring to?" He held his hand out for her to give him the Vodka. She did and he took a swig, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

Casey rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean, Derek. Edwin told me that you know."

Derek looked away for a moment, thinking about how he wanted the conversation to go. "He thinks he's in love with you." He said softly, still not looking at Casey.

She snagged back the bottle from him and drank, the taste not bothering her now. "And what do you think?"

Derek's head snapped back to Casey. "What do I think about what? About his feelings? If I believe him or not? What are you asking?"

Casey was taken aback by Derek's forcefulness. "Well, yeah. Do you think he's really in love with me?" she paused, then added, "Ed also told me that you don't think him and I getting together is a good idea. I guess I can figure out why."

Derek panicked. 'What does she mean by that?' He took a deep breath to compose himself and spoke. "I don't know if he's really in love with you or not. But he's only 15, Casey. He's never even had a serious girlfriend, and now he thinks he's in love with his _stepsister_?" Casey wondered at the similar nature of this conversation to the one she had earlier with Edwin. He continued, "As for my feelings on it, well, the way I see it, you and Edwin becoming a couple? Nothing but trouble." He stopped and studied Casey's face before grabbing the bottle and taking a drink. "Imagine it, Case. Imagine the looks on George and Nora's faces when you sit down and tell them that you and Edwin are _together_." Just saying it made Derek's expression go sour. He wasn't finished. "And what about school, huh? The looks from people in the halls as you and Ed walk hand-in-hand to class." His chest hurt now, and he closed his eyes. Opening them again, he fixed them on her. "Is it worth it? Is it worth destroying everything and everyone around you because you want to be "wild" and your hormones are out of control? Think about that, Case. Please think about it before you do something that you can't undo." He was pleading now, but he didn't care.

Casey stared slack-jawed at Derek. "What is it with you Venturi men and blurting out their feelings today?" She shook her head. "I'm so confused . . ."

Derek shot forward, leaning into Casey's space. "Does Edwin know?" His breath hit her and she instinctively moved back.

"Does he know what?" She asked nervously.

Derek smiled ruefully. His voice dropped. "Does he know about _us_?" The way he said it made Casey shiver.

"There is no 'us', Derek. You made that perfectly clear to me a _few_ times." Casey shot back snottily. She was starting to feel a buzz from the Vodka.

Taking a drink and then offering the bottle to Casey, he snorted. "So, he doesn't know about the night when you asked me to get you off. Or the night when you asked me to take your virginity. He's totally clueless, isn't he?" Derek tapped his chin with his finger. "Hmmmm, I wonder how he would feel if he knew that?"

Casey was scared, and starting to feel a bit angry. "Derek, you're not going to tell him, are you? Because I thought we decided that was behind us, remember?" she said, leaning into Derek. Her eyes widened in revelation. "This isn't about that night at the party when I fake-threatened to tell mom and George, is it? Cuz I was just angry and annoyed, I would never . . ." She didn't get to finish.

"Zip it, Case. I'm not trying to blackmail you. I just want you to think about everything that's going to come up if you decide to get involved with Edwin."

"Come up?" Casey cocked her head quizzically. "And just what is going to come up?" She laughed when she realized how that came out.

Derek stared at her hard. He raised his hand and played with her hair that was falling out of its restraints. Not quite looking at her face, he said, "Are you going to tell Ed that you and I are 'intimately' acquainted?" he breathed. 'Warning! Danger!' sounded in his head but he ignored it.

Casey closed her eyes at his implication. She was at a loss, and hell no, she wasn't planning on telling Edwin anything. In her mind – and Derek's insistence – it meant nothing and was in the past. "I'm not going to tell Edwin anything about what happened in the past. It would only hurt him, and I don't want to do that."

Derek moved back, hanging his head. "Yeah, it would." He said softly. Standing suddenly, his body swayed and he almost lost his balance. "Well, I think that's enough chatting for tonight." He reached down and grabbed Casey's hand, dragging her up and toward the door. "We're done."

He opened the door and waved for Casey to get out. She didn't move, however, standing there staring at him with an unnerving look on her face. He was losing his patience, and in his fuzzy state, his self-control. "For God's sake, Casey, can't you for once just listen to me and get out?" He realized the volume of his voice and toned it down. "Please?" he pleaded.

Casey blanched. "OK, Derek, if that's what you want." She paused, then added, "But I want you to promise me something, OK?" She said earnestly.

Derek sighed. 'Here she goes again, always wanting something from me.' "What?"

"Well, there are multiple things . . ." Casey started, making Derek groan. She ignored him and continued. "First, I want you to keep what happened between us to yourself. It does no one any good to know about it. Second, I want us to go back to how we were before anything happened. I want to be your friend. You know, hang out, go to movies, stuff like that." Derek stared at her, saying nothing. "And third, I want your blessing." Casey stopped and glanced at Derek for his reaction. He looked confused. She sighed and clarified. "I want your blessing to move forward with your brother." She said softly, looking down at her feet.

Derek threw his head back and looked at the ceiling. The sudden movement made his head spin, and he grabbed the door jamb to steady himself. At his movement, Casey snapped her head up and looked at him, waiting for an answer. He sighed and spoke. "Case, I can't give you something that I don't agree with. I just can't."

Casey felt the sting of tears reach her eyes. She didn't know why it was so important to her to have Derek on her side, but it was. "Derek, please. I need to do this, otherwise I'll always wonder . . . I'll always wonder if I made a mistake by not acting on it." She reached her hand out and grabbed his. She lowered her voice and leaned forward slightly. "Derek, your opinion means a lot to me, and if you tell anyone I said that I'll deny it." She added, hoping to make him smile.

Looking into her eyes, Derek was lost. He knew it. He reached forward and snagged Casey around the waist, pulling her to him. Burying his face in her neck, he took a deep breath, savoring the smell of her skin in his nose. 'Strawberries and the outdoors', he thought idly as his arms encircled her tightly.

Stunned, Casey didn't know what to do except hug him back. Just as quickly, Derek moved back but didn't relinquish his hold on her. Looking at her seriously, he said, "Do you really care about Edwin, Case? You're not going to hurt him, are you? Because that would crush him, and I don't think I would be able to take seeing that."

Casey thought for a moment. She didn't know what the future held, but she did know that at this point in time, right now, she had no intention of hurting Edwin. She wanted to make him happy like he made her happy. She knew he deserved that. "I'm not planning on hurting anybody, Derek." She said levelly to him.

Derek looked at her for a moment before letting her go. "Well, all I've got to say is 'go for it', then. I hope you and Edwin are very happy together." He tried to say it without sounding sarcastic. He didn't quite succeed.

Casey sighed at his statement and tone of voice. "Well, if that's as good as I'm gonna get, then I'm going to have to accept that." She moved forward and hugged him again. "Thank you, Derek."

Moving back, she turned and walked into her room, smiling at him briefly before shutting the door.

**Review please!**


	36. Chapter 36

**Disclaimer: **All I own is a bunch of inflatable toys with holes in them. (No, not _those_ kind of inflatable toys!)

**Chapter Thirty-Six: Vacation Ending, New Beginning**

There were only two more days of vacation left, and Derek couldn't wait to get back home. Sure, the cabin was awesome, but he had explored every room, played tons of foosball and ping pong, watched lots of movies on the home theatre, and even soaked in the hot tub a few times. What else was there? Nothing, except to be stuck in a remote spot with his family, who he loved, but admittedly drove him nuts. At least at home he could take off somewhere for awhile. Kind of hard to do when you're on top of a mountain.

Right now, he was in his room doing push-ups. Yes, he was _that_ bored. His straining muscles and aching arms made him feel alive, something that he hadn't felt the past couple days. Because he thought it might be killing him to know that Edwin and Casey were together. He pushed the thought away and kept going until he couldn't do anymore and collapsed.

Downstairs, the rest of the family were gathered in the living room. It was pouring cats and dogs outside, so they were trying to decide what they should do to pass the time. "How about cards?" Lizzie suggested.

"Nah, I hate playing cards. Edwin always tries to cheat." Marti said.

Edwin looked offended. "I do not! You're confusing me with Derek!"

Casey laughed. "Yeah, Marti, Edwin's the good brother, remember?" she said jokingly.

Giving Casey his most charming smile, Edwin said, "Well, it's nice to know someone appreciates me."

George and Nora laughed. "Oh Edwin," Nora said, "don't you worry. We would never confuse you with Derek." She paused and then clarified, "and I mean that in a good way."

Everyone laughed.

Derek heard them laughing downstairs and scowled. 'If they only knew what I know,' he thought to himself before flipping over and starting on his sit-ups.

Later that night, when he thought everyone had gone to sleep, Derek got his bathing suit on and headed for the hot tub. Minutes later, he was sinking into the bubbling water and taking a deep breath, trying to de-stress himself. Derek loved the contrast of the crisp mountain air with the steaminess of the heated water. He also loved gazing at all the stars in the sky. You just didn't get night skies like this in the city. With all the lights and smog, it just didn't exist. Derek leaned his head back and closed his eyes, thinking about seeing Sally when he got home. He really did miss her – he was surprised at how much, actually. It seemed that unbeknownst to him, she snuck under his radar and got under his skin. This was good – being attracted to someone _not_ related to you is always a good thing. 'Well, Casey and I are not _really_ related . . .' he added to himself.

"Oh, Derek. I'm sorry, I didn't know you were using the hot tub." Casey's voice startled Derek and he jumped, opening his eyes.

Casey stood before him wearing her black bikini and holding a towel. Her hair was up in a messy bun, a few stray hairs blowing around her face in the wind. "I'm sorry. I didn't know that I had to check with you before I could use it." He snarked.

"Well, now you do." Casey snarked back, smiling. "Do you mind if I join you?"

"Knock yourself out." Derek said, closing his eyes again. He didn't need to be looking at Casey's body. He heard the water splash as Casey slid into it, a moan of appreciation coming from her as she settled herself in up to her shoulders.

"Oh man, we need to get one of these at home, don't ya think?" Casey asked.

Derek agreed wholeheartedly. "Yeah, let's start working on convincing the 'rents. Of course, by the time they actually decide to buy one, you and I will probably be out of the house and not able to enjoy it." He said ruefully.

"Yeah, you're probably right." Casey agreed. They sat there in silence for a bit until Edwin appeared, wearing a black bathing suit and carrying two waters.

"Case, I got some water cuz I know being in hot tubs makes people thirsty . . ." He stopped when he noticed that Casey wasn't alone. "Oh, hey bro. I didn't know you were in here." Edwin said awkwardly.

Derek said nothing, instead fixing his brother with his most intimidating expression he had. Usually Edwin would fold like a broken lawn chair at that.

Edwin didn't fold. Instead, he stared right back before setting his towel down and putting the waters on the ledge of the tub. He then proceeded to swing his leg over and get in, settling next to Casey. "Well," he added brightly. "It's no big deal, we can share." He turned and smiled at Casey, who was sitting there, her eyes darting between them.

Derek smirked at this. "That's a great idea, Ed." He said, staring hard at Edwin. They remained locked in a heated stare down until Casey couldn't stand it anymore.

"OK guys, enough." She said, putting her palm up. "I don't know what's going on with you two, but I'm sick of it. You need to stop fighting and bury the hatchet. You're brothers, now start acting like it." Casey huffed, grabbing a water and taking a big gulp.

"We _are_ acting like brothers, Spacey." Derek smirked. "Brothers fight, and we're fighting."

Edwin snorted in agreement. "Case, don't worry about it. Everything's fine, right Derek?" he said through clenched teeth. Derek better not be trying to ruin his chances with Casey, or there would be hell to pay.

"Yep. Everything's just hunky-dory." Derek said flippantly.

Edwin rolled his eyes. "Look Derek, I know you talked to Casey about this last night, but we," he waved his hand between himself and Casey, "need to know that you're going to keep this secret for us." At Derek's expression he added, "We know it's not an easy thing to do, but we feel that it has to be this way – at least in the beginning." Edwin looked at Casey for support, and she nodded her head in agreement.

Derek sat and looked at them for a moment. They both had such serious expressions on their faces. 'They're really doing this,' he thought with a sinking heart. 'This is the real thing,' He sighed, then spoke. "OK. I'll keep the secret." At their smiles, he held up his hand and added, "But, there will be no kissing or making out in front of me, OK? And no acting lovey-dovey either. I don't want to be barfing all the time. Deal?" He stuck out his hand for them to shake.

Edwin and Casey looked at each other and smiled. "Deal." They said together. Edwin extended his hand first and shook, followed by Casey.

Edwin got serious. "Derek, bro, thank you so much for doing this for us. You don't know what this means to me . . ." he trailed off when Derek put his hand up.

"Ed, you're not gonna start blubbering on me, are you? Cuz you know I couldn't handle that." Derek said disdainfully.

Smiling, Edwin replied, "I just might."

At that, Derek looked horrified and stood up. "Well, that's my cue to leave." He got out and grabbed his towel, drying himself off. "Have a good night."

"Goodnight Derek," They said together. Casey and Edwin looked at each other and laughed. Derek shook his head and went into the cabin, entering his room and shutting the door behind him.

Edwin waited for a beat and then moved to kiss Casey. "I thought he'd never leave." He said jokingly before his lips touched hers.

Casey smiled against his lips. "Well, you got me all to yourself now." She said before kissing him back.

A little later, Derek was in his room lying on his bed. He was on his back and naked from the waist down, stroking himself. He couldn't get the vision of Casey in her black bikini out of his head, and now he was trying to take care of the erection he had before he could go to sleep. He closed his eyes and tried to get Casey out of his mind by thinking about Sally, who was just as gorgeous, but in a different way, and who he could actually touch and kiss. Derek conjured up an image from before he left for vacation, their first night together. _The feel of Sally's skin against his _. . . his hand sped up . . . _the sight of her straddling him . . . her hair falling in a curtain over him as she leaned down to kiss him . . . the view of her naked back arching as he drove into her from behind, the slap of skin on skin as they met . . . the feel of his orgasm through his body as he whispered her name when he came_ . . . "Casey".

Derek rode out his orgasm and slowly came down. He slammed his fist on the bed beside him. "Dammit!" he said. Disgusted with himself he turned onto his side and grabbed his underwear off the floor, sliding them up his legs. Reaching over, he shut off the light. He hoped things would magically be better in the morning. He could only wish.

They were flying home today, and Nora couldn't believe how quickly the vacation had passed. She stood in the middle of the living room, taking in the cabin for the last time. "I'm really going to miss this place, Georgie." She said, tearfully.

"Oh, babe," George said, coming to stand beside her. He put his arm around her and added, "You know, I bet my boss will let us use this place again."

Nora wiped a tear away. "You think? Because I would love to come back here in a year or so after the baby comes." She looked at George saucily, "Maybe just you and me?"

George smiled widely. "Oh, well, then it's definitely happening." He turned and hugged her fully, her belly coming between them. He put his hand on her stomach. "Are you feeling any kicking or movement yet?" He asked, his eyes on her abdomen.

Nora shook her head. "Not yet, but it should happen any time now." She put her hand over his. "There's still so much to do before the delivery. It's been a long time since there's been a baby around."

George nodded understandingly. "Well, babe, when we get home you can make one of your famous to-do lists and we'll start to plow through it, OK?"

Hugging him tightly Nora said, "Oh George, I'm so glad to have you in my life. You're going to be a great father to our baby."

George faked looking offended. "Are you telling me I'm not a good father to my other kids? Well, I think Derek is the most well-behaved boy I've ever seen . . ." He couldn't even finish the statement as he and Nora busted up laughing.

"Nice one, honey." Then Nora got serious. "But really, George, this child is going to have a little more discipline than Derek did . . ." George rolled his eyes as he followed Nora out of the living room into their bedroom to finish packing.

"Smerek! I need your help packing my stuff!" Marti's voice rang through the second floor.

A moment later, Derek left his room and headed to Marti's, passing Casey's on the way. He glanced quickly into the open door, not seeing any sign of her. He could guess where she was. "Smerek!"

"I'm coming, geez!" He grumbled as he entered her room.

Upstairs, Lizzie was busy folding the clean laundry that she just finished and was putting it into her suitcase. It felt good to know that when she got home the only dirty clothes she would have to wash were the ones she had on. Their flight was due to leave in three hours, and she knew that the airlines preferred it if passengers arrived a good hour before their flight. She wanted to be good and ready when it was time to go. She suspected Casey had her things already packed, probably doing it last night.

In Edwin's room, Casey was "helping" Edwin getting packed, which meant that every few minutes he would throw a piece of clothing into his suitcase, followed by Casey taking it out and folding it nicely, followed by Edwin going over to Casey to plant a kiss on her. Casey watched as another shirt flew by her head and landed in the suitcase. "Two points!" Edwin said, his arms in the air.

Casey rolled her eyes. Reaching over, she grabbed the shirt and folded it before putting it back in. Edwin smiled and repeated the process again, this time with a pair of shorts. "Edwin, can't you at least try to fold your clothes? It makes it much easier to pack."

Edwin went over to where Casey was sitting on the bed and stood over her. "Are you trying to change me already, woman?" He said jokingly, his eyebrow raised. "Cuz we Venturi men resist that, as you should already know from dealing with Derek."

Casey smiled. "True, but that doesn't mean I can't try to 'improve' on a few things."

Edwin leaned over Casey and put his hands on either side of her legs. "You can't improve on perfection, babe." He breathed to her before leaning in and kissing her lips.

Casey savored the feeling for a moment, and when Edwin went to stand up, she didn't want him to leave. She raised her arms and encircled Edwin's neck, pulling him down on top of her. "Whoa!" He said, trying not to crush Casey as he felt himself being pulled down.

Casey said nothing, instead trying to scoot her and Edwin's bodies up on the bed more so they wouldn't fall off. In order to do that, Casey shoved the nicely packed suitcase off the bed onto the floor with her foot, sending the clothes flying everywhere and causing a loud thump! They pulled apart for a moment, waiting if someone would come to see what the sound was. "Edwin! What are you doing in there?" Lizzie's voice could be heard from next door.

Edwin looked at Casey before replying, "Nothing, Liz. My suitcase just fell off the bed." Well, it wasn't a lie.

"Oh, OK." Lizzie answered.

Not hearing anything else, Casey and Edwin refocused their attention on each other and got lost in the feel of the other's lips. Edwin felt like he was flying – he had never been happier. The girl of his dreams was in his arms, kissing him. What more could he ask for?

Casey loved the way Edwin's lips felt against hers, and the fact that he hadn't kissed that many girls before her somehow made it more special. He was sweet, smart, sensitive and sexy as hell, and he was all hers. She sighed contentedly against his lips and tightened her hold on him. Edwin broke his lips away from Casey's and moved them down to her neck, softly planting kisses on her skin. Casey smiled, her eyes fixed on the ceiling. She could feel Edwin's hardness pressing against her leg and she felt a rush of arousal flood through her. Suddenly, she used the strength of her legs to flip them over, startling Edwin out of his ministrations. "What the . . .?" he muttered before Casey covered his lips with hers, rubbing her chest against his.

Edwin growled and his hands came up to grasp her hips. He ground his hardness into her center and Casey moaned against his lips. An idea was forming in her mind, which was clouded with arousal. Breaking their kiss, she sat up and looked at Edwin for a moment before slowly moving down his body, rubbing up against it all the way down. Edwin sighed and closed his eyes. Soon, she was level with his erection, which was causing an impressive tent to form in his shorts. Casey looked up Edwin's body to his face. His eyes were now open and fixed on her unblinkingly. He was panting slightly and his face was flushed. Casey thought he never looked sexier.

Reaching out, she placed her hand over his hardness, grasping it lightly. She moved her hand in a circular motion, rubbing it. Edwin's breath caught and he clenched his fist in the bedspread next to her. "Oh god," he said softly.

Casey smiled against his hip and went to pull down his shorts when a knock sounded on the door, startling them and making them jump apart, nearly knocking Casey off the bed. They both sat up and looked at each other, horrified, when the knock sounded again. "Ed, open up. It's Derek."

Edwin breathed a sigh of relief. "It's just Derek." He said, getting up and moving toward the door. He was distinctly aware of his hard-on as he cracked open the door. "Hey, Derek. What's up?"

Derek stood there with his arms crossed. "Hey, I wanted to let you know that we're gonna be leaving in the next half hour, so you better have your shit packed and ready to go." He said to Edwin, but his eyes were trained past him inside the room. Derek leaned forward and lowered his voice. "Make sure Casey knows that too. Dad and Nora were going to come up here and tell you themselves, but I saved them the trip, knowing that you weren't alone." Derek seemed to direct his comment at the door. His eyes snapped back to Edwin's. "Jesus, Ed. I just saved your ass from being caught. You better be more careful if you want this 'thing' to go anywhere with Casey, so get control of yourselves, will ya?" He whispered, looking toward Lizzie's room, whose door was shut, before turning and heading down the stairs. Edwin stood there for a moment, watching him leave, before he turned and shut the door.

Casey was sitting on the bed wringing her hands. "What did _he_ want?" she asked nervously.

Edwin sighed and sat down next to her. "He wanted us to know that we're leaving soon and to both be ready." He didn't disclose the rest. He turned to look at Casey, who was looking at the floor and biting her lip. "Hey, are you OK?" he asked, concerned.

Casey raised her eyes to look at him. "Yeah, I'm fine. The whole thing just scared me a little. We have to be more careful not to get so lost in each other that we aren't aware of our surroundings. Otherwise, things could get ugly." She said, reaching out and grabbing Edwin's hand.

He agreed. "I know. It's just so hard when I'm with you. I get lost just looking at you . . . and when we touch, it's . . ." he didn't finish, instead squeezing Casey's hand, then bringing it to his lips. "God, Casey, I love you so much." He said, looking deep into her eyes.

Casey's heart fluttered and she leaned forward, wrapping her arms around him. "Thank you for that, Ed." She leaned back and stood up. "I guess we better finish getting ready, huh?" She said, smoothing down her clothing. She stepped to the mirror and fixed her make-up a bit with her finger. She would have to touch up her lip gloss, as Edwin had rubbed it all off . . .

Behind her, Edwin stood and moved closer to her, wrapping his arms around her waist and setting his chin on her shoulder. "We make a very attractive couple, don't you think?" he said, gazing at their reflection.

Casey examined them in the mirror. 'There is no arguing with that.' She smiled and turned in his arms, kissing him lightly. "Ohhhh," she moaned, "I don't want to stop kissing you, but I have to finish getting ready." She went to move out of Edwin's arms, but he refused to relinquish his hold on her just yet.

Pulling her back to him, he gently grasped her chin and leaned in slowly, his eyes pinning hers. When their lips touched, he tried to put the crux of all of his feelings for her into that kiss, letting her know just how much she meant to him. He felt her arms go around him and fist in his shirt. Edwin darted his tongue out and licked his way across the seam of her lips, and a sound of longing escaped from her. Just as she was about to deepen the kiss, he moved back. Casey looked at him quizzically. "Where are you going?" she asked muzzily, her eyes half-closed in desire.

"I'm not going anywhere, babe." He paused, and then continued. "Except to finish packing." He smirked at the last part.

Casey's face looked relieved, and she snapped out of her sexual haze. "Yes, you're right." She said, all business now.

Edwin smiled at her. "I just wanted to give you one for the road, seeing as I probably won't get to kiss or touch you for at least four hours." The thought of that dismayed him, but there was nothing he could do.

Casey looked disappointed also. "Well, you sure know how to give the right send-off." She said, a smile forming on her lips.

He reached into the closet, grabbing a fistful of clothes and throwing them on the floor next to his suitcase. "Oh Case, you'll be surprised at what I know how to do." He said suggestively, making a trail of fire lick down Casey's spine and infuse her center. 'Oh man,' she thought. 'We are moving way too fast, but I love the way it feels.'

She decided to give as good as she got. Casey moved into Edwin's space and reached up to play with the hair at the back of his neck, which Casey was quickly learning was an erogenous zone for him. "I'm looking forward to discovering a lot of things about you." She breathed in his ear, her tongue darting out to lick his lobe.

Edwin's breath hitched and he groaned. "God, woman, you're gonna make me die from blue balls." He moved back and practically shoved her to the door. "Now leave so I can take care of this," he said, gesturing to his crotch, "Before we have to leave. I'm not sitting on a plane for three hours with _this_." He told Casey, his eyes flicking down.

Casey laughed. "OK, baby. I'll talk to you later." With that, she opened the door a crack and looked around before quietly heading out.

Edwin looked at the closed door after her for a moment before whipping off his shorts and taking matters into his own hand, so to speak.

**Review please!**


	37. Chapter 37

**Disclaimer: **I don't own nothin'.

**Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Reunion**

The flight home was uneventful, the family changing it up a bit with their seating arrangements. This time George and Nora were by themselves, followed by Edwin and Lizzie, who were embroiled in a weird thumb-wrestling tournament, and lastly, Derek, Marti and Casey.

Derek made the most of his time with his little sis, who he knew was growing up fast and soon wouldn't think it was so cool to worship her older brother. He sighed dejectedly. 'Everything is changing. Why do things have to change?' he lamented to himself.

"Smerek, are you OK?" Marti's sweet voice asked in his ear.

Derek turned his head and looked down at her. Marti's eyes were sharp on his face and he almost felt like she could see right into his soul to the turmoil there. He smiled and pinched her cheek. "Oh Smarti, you're always looking out for me, aren't you? I'm fine, just tired." He hoped she wouldn't push it. She was a Venturi, after all, and if she thought you weren't being truthful with her, she could be as stubborn as a mule and hound you until you gave in.

Marti studied his face for a moment longer, and then decided she believed him. "OK." she said simply, then leaned her head against his arm and closed her eyes.

Derek felt a rush of love for his youngest sister. He remembered when Marti was born and he was the first one to hold her (after his mom, of course), even before his dad. Even then, Marti's eyes were bright and alert, and she focused them on Derek like she was memorizing him. He had fallen in love with her right there, and knew that for the rest of his life, he would be there for her and protect her.

Derek felt Casey's eyes on him and looked up to find her staring at him with dewy eyes. 'Oh no.' he thought. "What's the matter?" He asked her, hoping that she would say "nothing."

Casey shook her head and wiped her eyes. "I'm sorry, Derek. Just seeing you interact with Marti sometimes . . ." she paused and wiped her nose with a tissue. "Well, it's special, because I get to see a side of you that no one else does."

Derek quirked his eyebrow at this. "And what side would that be, Case?"

She smiled, knowing Derek was trying to play it off. "The _sweet_ side, Derek. See, I know you very well, and I know your looks. And when you look at Marti, your eyes soften and you get this expression on your face . . ." she trailed off, trying to find the words to describe it. "Well, it's just about the sweetest thing I've ever seen." Casey concluded, her voice wavering.

Derek was torn between being incredibly touched and wanting to make fun of her. He decided on the safe route. "Oh, for crying out loud! You are so emotional, woman!" He said, shaking his head.

In spite of herself, Casey started laughing. Derek watched her as she laughed, which, in turn, made him start laughing. Marti cracked her eye open. "Hey, can you two keep it down a little? I'm trying to nap here."

Derek and Casey looked at Marti, then each other. They each covered their mouths to keep from laughing, and spent the rest of the flight trying to make each other laugh without making noise. The flight attendants concluded that there was something wrong with them, as every time they would walk by, one or the other would be making faces at the other and laughing silently and pointing.

It was 9 p.m. when they finally trudged through the front door of the house, each tiredly dragging their belongings behind them. "Ah!" George said, setting down his bag. "As wonderful as the vacation was, it's always good to be back home again." Nora came to stand beside him.

"I agree." She said, snuggling into his side. The kids said nothing, instead moving past them up the stairs, the _thump thump thump_ of the bags hitting each stair as they ascended. "Is anyone hungry?" Nora called after them, knowing that the "dinner" the airline served wasn't enough to satisfy a mouse.

"Nah" "Nope" "Not hungry, thanks" "No thank you" and finally, "Yes! I'm starving!" Derek's voice sounded from upstairs. Nora smiled then headed toward the kitchen, wondering if there was enough to scrape together a little something for him to eat. "What do you want, Derek?"

"Nothing." His voice directly behind her startled her, and she jumped slightly. "Derek! You scared me." She noticed he had his jacket on and held his keys in his hand. "Are you going somewhere? We just got home."

Derek smiled. "Yeah, I'm heading out to meet Sally for a bite, so don't worry about making me anything. Thanks anyway!" he said, heading out the back door.

Nora shook her head. '_Teenagers_.'

Casey dropped her stuff inside the door and flopped on her bed. She was exhausted! She always found it funny how sitting in a metal tube doing nothing for three hours at 35,000 feet made you so tired, but she felt like she had been run over. Casey raised her arms above her head and stretched, feeling the muscles pop. "God, I miss the hot tub already," she said softly to herself.

Derek knocked on the door, bouncing on his heels. He didn't even bother to call first, he just took a chance that she would be home. He didn't lie to Nora (about being starving, that is), he just didn't want to waste time waiting for her to make him something when he could be here with Sally. He figured he would eat later. Derek got tired of waiting and knocked again. No answer. He looked at his watch. He supposed she could be at work. He jumped in his car and headed for Smelly Nellie's.

Casey was still lying on her bed when she heard a knock on the door. "Who is it?" she called.

"It's me." Edwin's voice sounded.

Casey smiled. "Come in."

The door opened and Edwin appeared, looking a little rumpled from the trip. He still looked good to Casey, however. He smiled and shut the door, and at Casey's urging, went to lay down next to her on the bed. They lay on their sides looking at each other for a bit. Casey spoke first. "Well, a lot has happened in the last few days, hasn't it?"

Edwin nodded his head. "Yes. All good, right?" He still was unsure of Casey's feelings toward him.

Casey smiled and leaned forward, quickly kissing him on the lips. "All good."

His face split in a big smile and he moved to get up. "Well, sweets, as much as I would love to hang here with you all night, I am beat, and I bet you are too. So, I bid you adieu." Edwin said with a bow and a wave of his hand.

Casey giggled at his antics. "OK, fine gentleman," she returned. "I also bid you adieu, and wish you a good sleep." She said, blowing him a kiss.

Edwin dropped his act and smiled. "Good night Casey."

"Goodnight Edwin."

Derek lucked out and found a parking spot directly in front of the restaurant. He locked the car and went in. There were no customers and Derek knew that was because it was very near to closing time. "Hello?" he called to the back. If Sally was working tonight, she would be back there finishing the dishes and rolling silverware.

"Be right out!" Her voice rang back to him.

Derek smiled. He could barely stand to wait and was practically jumping up and down. 'Come on, come on,' he said to himself.

He glimpsed movement out of the corner of his eye and Sally appeared, wiping her hands on her apron. "I'm sorry to make you wait . . ." she said before looking up. "Derek! You're back!" she said, running to him and throwing her arms around him.

Laughing, he picked her up and spun her around. Putting her down, he grasped her face between his palms and pulled it to his, planting a kiss on her. "God, I missed you so much." Derek said.

Sally smiled happily. "Really?" She wasn't used to Derek expressing his feelings that openly. Maybe having Casey as a stepsister was starting to rub off on him.

"Really." He said, holding her tightly and smelling her hair. "Mmmmm, there's nothing like the smell of burgers," he said jokingly.

Sally moved back. "Derek! I know I don't smell the best, but what can you expect after working eight hours in this place?"

Derek laughed. "Babe, I think you smell great. In fact, I'm starving, so the smell of burgers on you is like a double bonus."

Moving back into his arms, Sally said, "Would you like me to grill something up for you quick?"

At this, Derek's stomach growled loudly, making Sally laugh. "I guess that's a yes." She said as she disengaged herself from Derek's arms and headed for the kitchen. Derek followed close behind, not wanting to lose sight of her. After a week of being away from her and being cooped up with Casey, he felt like a prisoner on parole. "Where's Pablo?" he asked, wondering about the new chef.

Sally opened the walk-in fridge and grabbed two beef patties. "He left already. I said I would close up." She fired up the grill and placed the patties on it. "Do you want fries with that?" she asked, and then laughed at how it sounded.

Derek laughed too. "No, that's OK. I don't want to make any more work for you. Chips will be fine." He leaned back against the counter and watched Sally work. She peppered him with questions about the trip – How was it? Was the cabin as awesome as you thought it would be? What did you do? Did you see anything cool? How was the flight there and back? Usually Derek would get annoyed at the interrogation, but he knew Sally was genuinely interested and not just being nosy. Derek wanted so much to confide his secret about Edwin and Casey to her. If only because after just a few days, it felt like a crushing weight on him. If it felt like that already, how was it going to feel six months from now? He didn't know if he could handle that.

A little while later, Sally sat and watched Derek inhale the burger she made him while telling him what she had been doing while he was gone. Somewhere in her conversation, she nonchalantly dropped in that Patrick was contacting her again seeking to reconcile. Derek's eyes narrowed and he grunted around his burger.

Sally took that to mean that Derek wasn't pleased about this turn of events and assured him that the last thing she would ever want to do is break up with Derek to get back with Patrick. "That part of my life is over, Derek. I'm with you now, and I'm happier than ever." She said, reaching across the table and clasping Derek's free hand.

Derek smiled, but said nothing.

After helping Sally lock up, Derek followed her home. Her parents were there, so he went in and made small talk with them for a bit before heading out. He said goodnight to Sally at the front door and kissed her cheek before walking down the sidewalk to his car. He started it and drove down the block, parking it in the shade of a giant tree. Derek tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, waiting. Ten minutes later, he saw Sally jogging down the sidewalk. He smiled, reaching over and opening the passenger side door for her. "Everything go OK?' he asked.

"Oh yeah," she panted. "My parents think I'm going to bed early. Hopefully they don't decide to come in and check on me."

Derek knew that Sally sometimes snuck out of her house by going out the window and climbing down the tree next to the house. A daring move, even he would have to admit.

He started the car and drove off, heading for a place where he thought they could have some privacy. Derek pulled off onto a deserted road and parked in the lot of an abandoned business. Not the most romantic place ever, but you had to make do with what you had. Getting out, he popped the truck of the Prince and pulled out a blanket, then grabbed Sally's hand, leading her in a wooded area. He found a clearing and spread the blanket out, then wasted no time in pulling Sally to him and kissing her.

Sally squealed in surprise and wrapped her arms around his neck. Derek moved them down together, bringing them to their knees on the blanket. His hands were moving quickly, undoing clothing in the rush to feel bare skin. Sally was into it now, too, removing Derek's shirt and making fast work of his pants. Derek lowered Sally onto the blanket and hovered over her for a moment, looking into her face. "Sal, I'm sorry if it feels like I'm rushing you, but I missed you so much while I was gone. This was all I could think about."

Another woman might have been offended if she thought her man only wanted her for sex, but Sally didn't see it that way. Instead, she responded by removing Derek's boxers, followed by her panties. Derek's dick jumped and he reached for his wallet, extracting a condom and slipping it on. Leaning forward, he kissed Sally and grasped his length, bringing it to her opening and rubbing against it.

Sally shifted herself against him and moaned, seeking more contact. "Derek, please. I missed you so much too . . ."

With that, Derek thrust deeply into her, making her gasp in surprise. He immediately started to move, savoring the feeling of being inside her again. He knew that if he could just be with Sally, see her face and feel her touch again that the feelings he harbored for Casey would fade into the background. 'This was what I needed' he thought as he moved inside of Sally. Derek knew he wasn't going to last long, so he reached down between them and rubbed her clit, making her pant and moan louder. "Oh god, yeah, yeah, OH!" Sally's insides clenched around him as her orgasm went through her, which then triggered Derek's orgasm. Moments later, they were laying side by side, their chests heaving. "Wow." Sally said, her hand in Derek's. "That was . . ."

"Awesome?" Derek supplied for her.

Sally laughed. "Not the word I would exactly use, but it works."

Derek quirked his eyebrow. "It wasn't awesome? Well, what word _would_ you use?" He turned on his side toward her and traced his finger on her stomach, making it contract at the sensation.

Sally thought for a moment. "How about 'fantabulous?'" She said, wiping a bead of sweat from Derek's brow. Derek watched as she put the finger that she used to wipe off his sweat into her mouth. For some reason, that aroused him immensely and he felt himself hardening again.

"I can live with that," Derek said, rolling on top of her again.

**Review please!**


	38. Chapter 38

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, nothing I tell you!

**Chapter Thirty-Eight: Back to Reality**

The next morning, the house was still quiet at 9 a.m., which was a rarity in the McDonald/Venturi residence. Because of the late night and jet lag, everyone's internal clocks were off, thereby creating an eerie calm caused by the tardy slumber.

Two hours later, however, found the atmosphere to be right back in the swing of things, just with a few more loads of laundry to contend with (mainly Derek and Edwin's, as they didn't partake in utilizing the laundry facilities in the cabin).

George and Nora were in the kitchen looking for enough food to make everyone for breakfast. They were coming up a bit short. "Oh George," Nora sighed, "I knew we should have run to the store last night."

Shaking his head George replied, "Nor, there was no way either of us was going to go out after all the traveling we did just to pick up a few things. We were way too tired." He moved from the fridge to the pantry, scouring the contents there. "Hey! I found some pancake mix . . ." He frowned, looking at the box. "But we don't have milk to make them with." He thought for a moment. "Well, enough of this. Why don't we take the kids out to breakfast, then later we can make a run to the grocery. Whaddya say?"

Nora smiled at him. "That's a great idea, except it's almost lunch time." She said, looking at the clock.

"So what?" George said. "We'll just go to a place that serves breakfast all day."

"Great idea, honey. I'll make sure all the kids are up and ready." Nora said heading up the stairs.

It wasn't hard to get everyone up, except Derek, of course, who refused to budge. Nora gave up and scribbled a note on a pad next to his bed, letting him know where they were in case he woke up while they were gone. Having found a family restaurant downtown, they all enjoyed their combo lunch/breakfast meals, with George, Nora and Edwin ordering breakfast dishes, and Lizzie, Marti and Casey ordering lunch.

Upon getting back, they walked in the door to see Derek watching TV. "Hey bro," Edwin said cheerfully. "You missed an awesome meal."

Derek glanced at them before returning his attention to the screen. "I know, and when I went to get something to eat here, I realized that _we have nothing_." He said, his eyes on George and Nora accusingly.

Nora spoke. "I'm sorry, Derek. I tried to wake you up to let you know we were leaving, but you wouldn't budge."

Casey jumped in. "Mom, you shouldn't have to apologize to him! It's his own fault that he wouldn't get up. You tried, that's all that counts."

Derek glared at her. "Bite me Spacey."

Casey eyes narrowed. "Oh, you'd love that, wouldn't you?"

George put up his hand. "What is it with you two? You're fine on vacation, but as soon as we get home you're at each other's throats again. I don't get it."

Derek broke his glare away from Casey to focus on his dad. "Oh you know, we're just doing our duty to get back into the normal routine." He smirked.

George shook his head. "Well, Derek, Casey is right about one thing: You had the chance to go with us, but you didn't want to. Now I don't want to hear you whine about being hungry. Either suck it up or go out and get something yourself. Got it?" Not waiting for an answer, he left the room, Nora following behind.

During all this, Lizzie and Marti had snuck around them and headed to their rooms, while Edwin stood next to Casey taking it all in. Following everyone else, Casey and Edwin headed upstairs to their own rooms to finish unpacking and settling back in.

While in her room, Casey took the time to call Ashley and let her know she was back in town. The phone rang twice before Ashley's groggy voice came over the line. "Lo?'

"Hey, babe. Guess who's back!" Casey said smiling into the phone.

"Casey baby!" Ashley's voice perked up. "It's so awesome to hear your voice! How was the vacation?"

"Well, I have a lot to tell you. Are you busy today?" Casey hoped Ashley had some free time to spend with her. She had missed Ashley a lot while being gone, and couldn't wait to let her in on all that had happened.

"You're in luck. It's my day off. You want to come over in a bit?" Ashley asked hopefully.

"Sure. I just have to finish unpacking and clean up a little. I can be over at three. Is that cool?"

Ashley squealed. "Yay! I get to see my BFF today!"

Casey laughed. "I'm excited too. I'll see you then, OK?"

"Will do, babe. See you then." Ashley said before they hung up. Smiling, Casey got on with her task to unpack and get everything organized.

Casey was in the laundry room putting in a load when Derek appeared behind her, his arms laden with dirty clothes. "Oh good, you can do mine too." He said smiling.

Arching her eyebrow, Casey looked at him. "Uh, do I _look_ like your maid?"

Derek ran his eyes up and down her body, making Casey flush. "No, but you know what would help? One of those French maid's outfits. You know, with the short black dress, and the white apron and hat, and the feather duster . . ." Derek was stopped by a handful of his own dirty clothes being thrown in his face. He watched as Casey walked away. "I guess that's a 'no'?" He called after her. Casey ignored him and walked up the stairs. Derek smiled to himself and dropped the pile of clothes into the basket in front of the washer. Maybe if he let it sit there long enough, it would drive someone crazy and they would take it upon themselves to do it for him. He could only hope.

The phone rang a moment later. "Hello?" Marti answered it in the living room. "Yeah, hang on." Marti covered the mouthpiece with her hand and shouted. "Edwin! Phone! It's Marie!" She uncovered it and said, "Hang on, he's coming." She sat the phone on the end table and went back to the couch.

Edwin bounded down the stairs and picked up the phone. "Marie? Yeah, hi." He stopped and listened. "Yeah, I got back last night . . . No, we had a great time . . ." He said, his eyes drifting up the stairs to Casey, who had come out of her room and was standing at the top of the stairs. "Uh, you know, I can't that night. I already have plans." Another pause. "Yeah, well, maybe another time. OK. Yeah, I'll talk to you later. Bye." Edwin hung up the phone and glanced at Marti and Lizzie, who seemed to be engrossed in a cartoon, before heading back up the stairs. He met Casey at the top and stood in front of her. She was wearing an expression that Edwin couldn't quite place. "Case?" He questioned.

Casey said nothing, instead grabbing Edwin by the hand and leading him into her room. She shut the door and turned to face him. "Ed, are you still involved with Marie? I guess I should have asked you that before we got involved . . ." Casey said, pacing back and forth.

Edwin stepped forward and halted her movement. "Case, I was never really 'involved' with her in the first place. I mean, she had a crush on me, I thought she was cute, we fooled around that one time when you caught us. That's it." Edwin said, his hands on her forearms. "Casey, you're the only woman for me."

At his earnest face, Casey felt relieved. "God, Edwin, I'm acting like a jealous girlfriend or something." She laughed slightly. "I'm sorry. I should have known better, but we never really discussed her," She didn't even want to say Marie's name, "but I'm glad you explained it to me."

Edwin pulled Casey to him. "No, I'm sorry. I should have told her on the phone that I was seeing someone and wasn't interested, but with Lizzie and Marti right there . . ." Edwin paused, searching for the right words, "Well, if they overheard me telling Marie that I had a girlfriend, you know they would be bugging me to tell them who it was, and I didn't want to deal with that." He hoped Casey would understand.

She did. "I know, that makes sense." She hugged Edwin tightly and then moved back. Casey looked at her watch. It was 2 p.m. "I'm going over to Ashley's place at three to catch up for a bit. Do you want to hang out and sunbathe with me in the backyard until I have to leave?"

Edwin didn't need to be asked twice. "Seeing you in a bathing suit? I'd be stupid not to take you up on _that_ offer." He said, wagging his eyebrows suggestively.

Casey laughed. "OK, I'll meet you in the back in 10 minutes. She kissed him and opened the door for him to leave.

"Awww, can't I stay and watch you change?" Edwin pouted, his lip sticking out.

He looked so cute she almost acquiesced. "Well, if I let you, then we would never leave the bedroom." She answered saucily.

Edwin felt himself hardening at that thought. "Well, this is a good time for me to be going, unless we want to start something we can't finish." He winked at her before leaving and closing the door behind him.

Casey undressed, smiling to herself. 'I'm a lucky girl.' She thought.

Casey and Derek were in the car, and for once, Casey was driving. Derek was in the passenger seat fiddling with the radio. He couldn't seem to find a station he liked, and it was driving Casey crazy. "Derek! For god's sake, find something and stick to it!" She said, clenching the steering wheel tightly.

Derek snorted. "Don't get your panties in a twist, Space. You just worry about the road, OK?"

Casey growled under her breath and continued on to Smelly Nellie's, where she was dropping Derek off for his shift on her way to Ash's.

Derek finally found a song he liked and leaned back in his seat. He looked out the side window for a bit before turning to Casey. "So, Ashley's pretty hot."

Casey looked sharply at Derek. "Yeah, she's cute, but don't you get any ideas. You have a girlfriend, remember?"

Derek sighed. "Why does everyone feel the need to keep reminding me of that? It's not like I forgot."

"Well, maybe it's the fact that the last time you had a girlfriend, you asked a girl that _wasn't her_ out." Casey said, exasperated.

Laughing, Derek replied, "Oh Case, that was all just a big misunderstanding. I was never _really_ going to go out with Lucy."

"Yeah, whatever." Casey said, pulling up in front of the restaurant. "Do you need a ride home?" She asked, glancing at Derek.

"Nope. Sally's working tonight too, so she'll give me a ride." Derek opened the door and got out. "See ya later." He said, before turning and heading in.

"Yeah, see ya." Casey said, before putting the car into gear and continuing on to Ashley's.

When Ashley opened the door to her apartment and saw Casey, she started jumping up and down and screaming like a little girl. "Casey! Come in, come in, come in!" She shut the door behind Casey and wrapped her in a big hug. "God, it's so good to see you!" Ashley said in Casey's ear.

Squeezing back, Casey answered, "You too, hon. I'm so glad we could hang out today."

They moved apart and sat down on the couch facing each other, Ashley grabbing Casey's hands. "Soooo? Tell me all about it." She said, leaning forward, an eager look on her face.

Casey smiled. "Well, remember when you told me that you thought Edwin was in love with me?"

Ashley nodded. "Yeah."

"It's true. He admitted it to me while we were out there." Casey said, relieved to be sharing it with someone else.

Ashley looked at Casey for a moment. "I knew it! I'm always right about these things." She squeezed Casey's hands. "And? Then what happened? What did you say?"

"Well, I was shocked, of course. But you should have been there, Ash. It was sooo romantic! I mean, they way he told me, how he said it. I've never heard anything like that before. He just made my heart melt." Casey said her eyes faraway remembering the moment.

Ashley examined Casey's face. "So . . .?"

Casey laughed. "You're so impatient!"

Ashley sighed dramatically. "You're impossible, woman! Just tell me already!"

Casey rolled her eyes. "Well, up until then, I was going to tell him that we couldn't be together because there were just too many things in the way, but after that . . . well, I couldn't say no, so I agreed to move forward and try things with him." Casey looked at Ashley for her reaction.

Ashley was silent, taking it all in. Finally, she spoke. "Well, Case, I'm happy for you, if that's what you really want. I mean, what about Derek? Isn't there some unfinished business between the two of you? Are you going to tell Edwin about that?"

Casey bristled. "No, I'm not. Derek and I had a discussion about that. We agreed that what's in the past stays in the past and it didn't mean anything. He even knows about Edwin and me because Ed told Derek that he was in love with me before he even told me! And Derek agreed to keep our secret." Casey paused, then continued. "Everything's working itself out so far."

Ashley nodded. "Well, are you happy?"

Casey smiled widely. "Ash, I have never been so happy in my life. Ed is sooo sweet. He treats me so well, and we get along great. And he's a great kisser . . ." Casey continued to fill Ashley in on everything that had happened, including the near-blowjob she gave Edwin before being interrupted by Derek.

Ashley sat and took all this in, watching Casey's face as she revealed everything that had happened. 'She _does_ look happy,' Ashley thought to herself. 'That's all I ever wanted.' She sighed to herself and decided to tease Casey a bit. "Hey! Have you ever thought about having a threesome with Edwin _and_ Derek? I mean, why do you have to choose? You could have your cake and eat it too!" She stopped and looked at Casey, who was staring at her incredulously.

"Ash! How can you say that . . .?" Casey stopped when she saw Ashley's expression. "Oh, you're gonna get it!" She said, pouncing on Ashley and tickling her.

"Aaaaaah!" Ashley yelled, trying to get away from Casey. They rolled around on the couch before they both fell off onto the floor. "Stop it, I'm gonna pee my pants!" Ashley said between laughs.

Casey laughed and tickled her even harder. "Just don't get it on me." She replied, digging her fingers into Ashley's rib cage.

Edwin was in his room thinking about all that had happened in the last few days. Going back over everything, it seemed more like a whirlwind. He went from pining for his stepsister to having her as his girlfriend. He smiled to himself. 'I am so lucky.' He sat there a bit longer, his mind wandering to the call he received from Marie earlier. 'I really need to call her and let her down easy. I don't want to drag this out any longer than I have to.' He sat up and went to find the phone.

Smelly Nellie's was packed for a Thursday night. Derek had 10 tables he was currently waiting on, and there were more people waiting to be seated. Sally was getting slammed as well – she had nine.

"Order up!" Pablo's voice sounded through the restaurant.

Sally and Derek both went to see whose order it was. Derek was hoping it was the tabouli he put in for 20 minutes ago and Sally was waiting on a cheeseburger with a side of fries. It was the tabouli. "Dang it!" Sally said, frustrated. "My customers are getting ornery. Can you speed it up in there, Pablo?" She said to the cook, who scowled at her.

"I am short one guy, I'm doing the best I can." Pablo shot back.

Sally rolled her eyes and walked away.

Lizzie was playing a game with Marti in the living room when the phone rang. It was Jamie. "Hey!" Lizzie said smiling. "How are you?"

"I'm fine. I was just calling to see if you could hang out tomorrow, seeing as you've been gone all week." Jamie paused and lowered his voice. "I really missed you."

Lizzie felt her stomach give a flip. "I missed you too, Jamie, and I would love to hang out tomorrow. Do you want to come by after lunch, say around one?"

"Sure, that sounds great. I'll see you then." Jamie said, sounding pleased.

"Great, I'll see you then." Lizzie said before hanging up. Smiling, she returned to her game with Marti.

Ashley and Casey were in a sugar coma. They had consumed a bunch of chocolate, licorice, and gummy bears while watching movies. Currently, they were watching _Legends of the Fall_, which was a favorite of Ashley's. "God, Brad was so hot with his long hair," she said wistfully.

Casey looked at Ashley and laughed. "And _how_ _old_ were you when this movie came out, five?"

Ashley snorted. "So what? I didn't see it until I was older, when I could appreciate the scope of his hotness."

They sat in silence for a moment until Casey spoke. "Hey Ash, you've never really talked much about yourself, expect when I pried it out of you. It seems like I should know this, but are you seeing anyone right now?" She looked at Ashley, who was still staring at the screen but not really watching it.

"Nah, not right now." Ashley said nonchalantly. "Although, there is this guy . . ."

"Who?" Casey jumped in, excited.

Ashley laughed. "Well, he's a regular who comes in three to four times a week." At Casey's expression, Ashley held up her hand. "I know, I told you that I don't date guys who come into the club, but this guy is _gorgeous_." She paused, her eyes glazing over. "He's everything I dig in a guy: Tall, dark, mysterious, good dresser, sculpted bod . . ." She stopped and looked at Casey. "Gah, talking about him makes me feel all warm and gooey inside."

Casey laughed. "Well, have you talked to him or anything?"

"No, not really. But we have exchanged a few heated glances." Ashley replied.

"Hmmmm, well, if you think it wouldn't mess anything up with your job, I say go for it!" Casey said encouragingly.

Ashley looked at Casey and moved to hug her. "I can always count on you for support."

Casey hugged back. "That's what I'm here for."

The dinner rush was over and Sally and Derek were sitting in a booth together, each counting their tips. "I bet I made more than you." said Derek cockily.

Sally snorted. "Yeah, only because you flirt with all the female customers."

"Hey, whatever works, baby." Derek shot back.

"Yeah? Well, how would you like it if I flirted with every guy who came in?" Sally challenged.

Derek looked at her before answering. "Hey, I don't care, as long as the guys know who you _really_ belong to."

Sally raised her eyebrows at this. "Belong to?"

Derek nodded. "Yeah." He stopped counting his change and looked at Sally. "What? Did I say something wrong?"

Sally thought for a moment and said, "No, you didn't. I just realized that I don't mind belonging to you." She reached over and grabbed Derek's hand.

Derek smiled and continued counting.

"Hey guys, we're going to bed. Don't stay up too late, OK?" Nora said before she and George retired to the basement.

"We won't." Edwin and Casey said simultaneously. Casey had returned from Ashley's about an hour ago after spending the majority of the day there. It had felt good being with her best friend again and catching up. Every time after she hung out with Ashley, Casey would feel happy, like nothing could bring her down. A vision of Emily passed through Casey's mind. 'I really need to touch base with her. We've hardly spent any of the summer together.' Casey thought to herself guiltily. Even though she knew that Emily was preoccupied with Sheldon, Casey still felt like they should at least talk more – if only by email. She resolved to try to get in touch with Emily the next day.

Casey was snapped out of her reverie by Edwin's hand clasping her own. She turned and smiled at him. "Just a sec," she said, getting up from the couch. Casey went to the light switch and shut the overhead lights off, leaving the only light in the room coming from the TV screen. "Is everyone else in bed?" she whispered to Edwin, looking around.

Edwin looked around also. "I think so."

Casey smiled and grabbed Edwin's hand again. "Good." She said, leaning her head on his shoulder. Edwin smiled and turned his attention back to the program they were watching.

Sally brought Derek home, and after a heated make-out session in her car, he came through the front door to find Casey and Edwin asleep on the couch in each other's arms, the light from the TV illuminating their faces. He stood there a moment, watching them, conflicting feelings running through his head. "Do they want to get caught?" He said softly, disgusted. Derek walked over and shook Edwin's shoulder. "Dude, wake up."

Edwin stirred and cracked an eye open. "What?"

Derek scowled. "Ed, it's me, wake up."

Sitting up now, Edwin opened his eyes. "Oh, hey bro. What's up?"

"What's up?" Derek repeated incredulously. "What's up is I keep having to bail your asses out, that's what. First, I cover for you on vacation, and now I walk in to find you and Spacey cuddling on the couch. _Right out in the open!_ How would you explain that to Nora and Dad, huh?"

Edwin rubbed his eyes. "I guess we must have fallen asleep watching TV. And I guess I would tell Dad and Nora that." He said, shrugging.

Derek huffed. "Whatever, dude. You and Casey beg me to keep this 'big secret' for you, but it seems like neither of you are taking it too seriously. It's like you want to be caught." He looked at Edwin for another moment before shaking his head and walking away.

Edwin sat there for a minute then turned to look at Casey, who was still sleeping on his shoulder. Did he want them to get caught? He didn't think so, although he felt that they would eventually have to tell everyone, seeing as Edwin had every intention of spending the rest of his life with Casey. Because whenever he imagined his future, Casey was always right beside him. He smiled and touched her face, running his finger down her cheek. Casey stirred and opened her eyes. "Hey you." She said softly.

"Hey. I think we should get to bed. Derek just came in and found us like this on the couch. He about blew a gasket. Something about him keeping our secret but us not taking it seriously enough." Edwin said, still stroking Casey's skin.

Casey nodded, a thoughtful look on her face. "Yeah, he's probably right. We _do_ need to be more careful."

Edwin turned the TV off and they both walked up the stairs. Casey stopped in front of the bathroom, needing to brush her teeth and wash her face before going to sleep. Edwin took Casey into her arms and hugged her. "Goodnight, Casey. Sleep well." He said, kissing her on the cheek.

Casey smiled and hugged him back. "Thanks, sweetie. You have a goodnight too." She replied, kissing him back. They parted ways with separate smiles on their faces.

**Review please!**


	39. Chapter 39

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**Chapter Thirty-Nine: Odds and Ends**

The next day was Friday, and Casey wanted to see if Emily was around. After breakfast, she walked over and knocked on their front door. Emily's brother, Dimi, answered. 'Hi Casey," he said politely.

"Hi, Dimi." Casey said, smiling. "Is Emily home?"

"Yeah, but she's still sleeping. She was out late with Sheldon again." Dimi said, rolling his eyes.

Casey laughed. "Well, can you tell her when she gets up that I stopped by?"

"Yep." Dimi replied.

"Thanks, Dimi. I'll see you later." Casey said, before turning and going back to her house.

Dimi waved before shutting the door.

Casey came through the front door and found Lizzie on the couch watching TV. She sat down next to her. "Hey Liz, what's up?"

Lizzie took her eyes away from the TV to look at Casey. "Not much." She smiled. "Jamie's coming over later to hang out."

"That's good, right?" Casey asked smiling.

Lizzie ducked her head shyly. "Yeah, I hope so. I'm thinking he might ask me to be his girlfriend." She said, picking at a piece of loose string on the couch.

Casey squealed. "Liz! That's great! I like Jamie, he seems like a really nice guy."

"Thanks, me too, and he _is_ a really nice guy." Liz said happily.

Casey rose from the couch. "Well, let me know what happens, OK?"

Lizzie nodded. "Will do sis." With that, Casey turned and went up the stairs.

Casey was passing Derek's room on the way to her own when she glanced in and saw Derek, wearing headphones, at his computer desk. She stopped and stood in the doorway, waiting for him to notice her.

After a few moments, he did. Taking off the headphones, Derek said, "Hey Case, what's up?"

'He's cheerful this morning,' Casey thought. "Nothing, just wandering what you're doing. I'm a little bored."

Derek smirked. "Well, where's your _boyfriend_? I'm sure you can find ways to occupy your time with _him_."

Casey rolled her eyes. "He's out running. After taking a week off, he has to get back at it, considering school's starting again in three weeks." Casey couldn't believe how fast the summer went. A lot had happened so far, and Casey had the feeling that there were more adventures to come.

Derek nodded in agreement, then added, "Ugh, I dread having to go back to that place."

Eyebrows raised, Casey countered, "Well, Derek, it might be a waste of time for you, but some of us want to do something with our life."

"_Some of us want to do something with our life." _Derek mimicked. "Casey, Casey, Casey, still the same-old keener underneath the girl who wants to be a rebel." Derek said, smirking.

"Oh, shut it, Derek. You're just trying to overcompensate for your lack of . . ." Casey paused, pointedly glancing at Derek's crotch, "academic skills." She finished, tongue-in-cheek.

Derek's face flushed pink and he stood up quickly. Moving into Casey's space, he said softly, "Oh, you don't want to go there, dear _sister_. It would be more than you could handle." He said, his eyes moving to her lips. Casey absentmindedly licked them and instinctively moved back. They stared at each other for a moment, the room feeling claustrophobic, before Casey turned and left.

'What was that?' Casey said to herself when she was back in her room.

Derek, meanwhile, was sitting on his bed with his head in his hands. 'I've got to find a way to interact with Casey without it straying into dangerous territory.' He lay back on his bed and closed his eyes, hoping that his turmoil would magically be taken away. So far, that hadn't worked, and Derek feared that something drastic would have to happen to snap himself out of it. He just didn't know what that was yet.

"Derek! Casey!" Nora's voice sounded from downstairs. "Can you come down for a minute?"

Casey and Derek exited their rooms at the same time. They looked at each other before quickly looking away. 'Awkward!' they thought simultaneously.

Casey went to descend the stairs first, but Derek elbowed his way past her. "Derek! Rude much?" Casey said annoyed. She proceeded to elbow him in the side before passing him on the stairs. They jostled for position all the way down.

George, Nora and Marti stood waiting for them. George rolled his eyes at Casey and Derek's behavior. "I see things haven't gotten better overnight. What was I thinking hoping that they would?" He said, sighing.

Nora squeezed George's arm reassuringly. Turning her attention to Derek and Casey, she said, "Kids, since this is George and I's last day off before we have to return to work on Monday, we thought we would take Marti to the zoo and maybe a movie. I know you probably don't want to go, but I thought I would ask anyway." She concluded, waiting for their answer.

"Well, thanks for the invite, mom, but I'm hoping to spend some time with Emily today. I haven't seen her practically all summer." Casey said regretfully. "But you have a good time, OK?" She said, directing the last part to Marti, who smiled and nodded.

"I can't go because I have to work later, then I'm going out with Sally." Derek said, looking bored.

Nora nodded. "OK, then, well, Lizzie and Ed aren't going either, so I guess it's just us." She said looking at George and Marti. Speaking to the teens again, she said, "OK, we'll be gone for most of the afternoon, then, so I expect that nothing will happen that will make it necessary for us to dole out any punishments when we get home." Nora stated, her eyes on Derek.

Derek and Casey shook their heads obediently. "Absolutely nothing, Nora. We'll be little angels." Derek said, making Casey want to cuff him upside the head.

"What Derek means, mom, is that _I_ will make sure everything is under control." She said glaring at Derek, and then directing a sweet smile at her mom.

Nora's eyes narrowed, looking suspiciously at them. "OK, then." She turned and looked at George and Marti, "Let's go."

Casey and Derek stood side by side with matching smiles on their faces as they watched their parents and Marti leave. As soon as the back door shut Casey whirled on Derek. "Geez! Could you _be_ any more stupid? No wonder George and mom never want to leave the house! They're afraid of what _you're_ gonna do!"

Derek crossed his arms and smirked. "Oh stop. As usual, you're overreacting. Some 'wild child' you are. Well, I got news for ya, Case. You aren't. You're still the grade grubbing, control freak who wants to please her parents." Turning on his heel, Derek started for the living room.

Casey stood there, watching him go and fuming inside. 'How dare he? What's his problem?' Before she knew what she was doing, Casey was charging at Derek and jumping on his back, her legs around his waist and her fists punching him in the chest. Startled, Derek yelped and lost his balance, bringing them both down to the floor. "Casey! What the fuck!" Derek shouted as he tried to get her off him.

Casey snarled like an animal and kept at it, scratching him with her nails and hitting him with her fists. "You think you know everything. Well, you don't, Derek. You're just a guy who has no aspirations who goes through girls like water and who doesn't give a crap about anyone but himself!" She said between blows.

Derek put his hands in front of his face. "Get off me, woman! You're not exactly light, you know!"

This made Casey even more angry and she kneed Derek in the groin, causing him to double in on himself and grasp his stomach. "Ooooohhh," He got out weakly.

The back door shut and Edwin walked in. "What the hell is going on here?" He said, upon viewing Casey and Derek tangled together on the floor, Derek moaning in what looked like agony.

"Ed, could you get your psycho girlfriend off me?" Derek panted. "She plays dirty."

Casey moved off Derek on her own. "I don't need any help to tell you that you're a pig, Derek." She stomped off into the kitchen.

Edwin crouched down next to his brother. "What happened, bro?"

Derek said nothing, continuing to roll back and forth and moan. Finally, he sat up. "I was just kidding with Casey, and she went and freaked on me. That girl's got issues." Derek said, pointing to the kitchen where Casey was sitting there calmly drinking water. Derek looked at her a moment longer before shaking his head and limping upstairs.

Edwin's eyes followed him up the stairs until he heard Derek's bedroom door shut. He then went into the kitchen. Sitting next to Casey at the island, he said, "Case? What the hell happened out there?"

Casey took a deep breath and blew it out. "He just makes me so mad sometimes! One minute he's nice and the next he's throwing out insults at me left and right. And he calls _me_ a drama queen? Well, I think he's bipolar!" She said, taking another drink of her water.

Edwin sighed. "Well, I don't know what his problem is; maybe he's reacting to the stress of keeping our secret." He looked at Casey to see what she thought.

She shrugged carelessly. "Stress? Derek? Come on, Ed. He doesn't care about anyone but himself." She said, knowing that wasn't true even as the words left her lips.

Edwin knew it too. "Come on, Case, you know that's not true." He said, putting a hand on her arm. "Hey, do you want to take a walk or something to calm down?" He hoped getting Casey away from Derek for a bit would settle her temper.

Casey shook her head. "Nah, I'm gonna try and hook up with Emily today for a little bit. I haven't seen her in forever."

"OK, then." Edwin shifted on his feet. "Well, if that's the case, I'm gonna try to get ahold of Teddy and see what he's up to. Is that cool with you?" He asked, wiping his sweaty brow with a paper towel.

It was then that she focused her attention on Edwin and noticed that he was shirtless and glistening, no doubt from his run. Casey laughed slightly. "Ed, you don't have to clear your schedule with me. You can do whatever you want." She said, reaching out to caress his face.

Edwin closed his eyes at the sensation. "I know, but if there's a chance to spend more time with you, I would rather do that than anything else." He said, opening his eyes and fixing on her warmly.

Casey resisted the urge to kiss him right there in the kitchen. "Awww, you're so sweet. I love that about you."

At that moment, Lizzie entered the kitchen. "Love what about who?" She asked, heading for the refrigerator.

Casey and Edwin glanced at each other nervously. "Oh, nothing, Liz. So, when is Jamie coming over?" Casey said, trying to change the subject.

Lizzie looked at the clock. "He should be here in 15 minutes." She said with a smile on her face.

Casey smiled back. "Are you excited?"

"Well, Case, I'm excited to see him, but I'm not getting my hopes up that anything more is going to happen then just him and I hanging out together."

Casey nodded understandingly. "I understand. I guess it's better to be a bit cautious."

Lizzie headed upstairs. "Let me know when he's here, will you?"

"Sure thing." Casey said, before turning her attention back to Edwin.

"Whew, that was close." Edwin said softly.

Casey agreed. Together they went into the living room and sat on the couch. Edwin remembered his conversation last night with Marie. "Hey Case, I wanted to tell you, I talked to Marie last night and told her that I was kind of involved with someone and we would have to be just friends." He paused, searching Casey's face for a reaction. "I wanted you to know."

Casey was touched that he would take the initiative to act so quickly. "Well, I appreciate you telling me, and I'm relieved that you let her down easy. She seemed like a nice girl."

Edwin nodded. "Yeah, she is nice. She just wasn't nice for _me_."

Casey smiled and looked around quickly before leaning forward and kissing Edwin on the lips. They smiled at each other and sat on the couch in silence, unaware of a pair of eyes on them from upstairs. Derek stood at the top of the stairs watching them, an inscrutable look on his face. After a few minutes, he turned and went back into his room.

A moment later, the phone rang. Edwin reached over and picked it up. "Hello? Oh hey, Emily. Yeah, she's right here." Edwin handed the phone to Casey and got up, heading to the kitchen.

"Hey Em! How are you! I haven't talked to you in forever." Casey said happily.

"I'm great! Sorry I wasn't up earlier, but you know how it is . . ." Emily said laughing.

"Yeah, well, do you want to hang out for a bit today?" Casey asked hopefully.

"Sure, how about I be over in a half an hour?" Emily said.

"Sounds good to me." Casey said before hanging up. She got up and went to find Edwin, who was making himself a sandwich in the kitchen. "Hey, Em's coming over in a half hour, and we're gonna hang together for a bit, so if you want to head to Teddy's or something you can."

Edwin quirked his eyebrow. "Gee, Case, thanks for your permission. I thought I didn't need that." He said jokingly.

Casey slapped him playfully on the arm. "I just meant . . ." Casey was interrupted by a knock on the door. She headed to the living room and opened it. "Hey Jamie, come in." She said to the young guy in front of her.

Jamie followed Casey in and stood in the foyer. "Take a seat, I'll go get Lizzie." Casey said before heading up the stairs.

A moment later, Casey returned with Lizzie following on her heels. "Hey Jamie." Lizzie said smiling.

Jamie smiled widely when he caught sight of Lizzie. "Hey Liz." They looked at each other for a moment, then looked at Casey, who got the hint. "Well, I'm off to my room to wait for Em. Send her up when she gets here. See ya." Casey said, waving before going upstairs.

"Do you want to sit down?" Lizzie asked shyly.

"Um, actually, I was wondering if you wanted to take a walk," He paused, looking at Lizzie, "since it's such a beautiful day outside."

"Sure, that's a great idea," Lizzie said, slipping on her flip-flops. "Casey! I'm headed out for a walk with Jamie. I'll be back soon!" She called before heading out.

"OK, have fun!" Casey's voice called back.

Smiling, Jamie and Lizzie headed out the door.

A few minutes into the walk, Jamie cleared his throat and spoke. "So, Liz, while you were out of town I did a lot of thinking," he said pausing to take a deep breath before continuing, "and I was wondering something."

Lizzie glanced at Jamie's face, trying to figure out what he was going to say. "What were you wondering?" she asked anxiously.

"Well, I was wondering if . . . if . . . if you'd like to go steady." He said, finally getting it out.

Lizzie resisted the urge to jump and down. "I would love to go steady with you, Jamie," she said staring into his eyes.

Jamie looked relieved. "Wow, that's great, Liz. Thanks."

Lizzie almost laughed at his gratitude, like she was doing him a favor by going steady with him. "I think we should do something to seal the deal, don't you?" she said flirtily.

Jamie's eyes widened and he asked, "What did you have in mind?"

Lizzie said nothing, instead stepping forward and giving Jamie a hug. He stood there a moment before reciprocating. They stayed in that position for awhile before moving apart and continuing their stroll down the street. After a few minutes, Jamie got brave and took Lizzie's hand in his own. She smiled to herself but said nothing.

Casey was organizing her desk when there was a knock on the door. "Come in!" She called, expecting it to be Emily. It was Edwin instead. "Hey, I'm heading over to Ted's house for the afternoon to watch wrestling. I'll be back later." He said, leaning against the door jamb.

Casey stood up and rubbed her back. "OK. You have fun watching _wrestling_," she said, her nose scrunching up in distaste.

Edwin laughed and moved forward to take Casey into his arms. "I would love to have some real alone time with you tonight, but I don't know how we could swing it. Any ideas?" He asked, rubbing her back.

Casey thought for a moment. "I'm not sure. Is there any movies out we could go see? You know, say that no one else wanted to go, leaving just us?"

"I'm not sure, considering that Lizzie would probably want to go, maybe even Derek." Edwin said, scratching his chin.

Casey snorted at that. "Derek would _not_ want to go with us, Ed. Besides, he told George and mom that he was working tonight, then going out with Sally."

Edwin nodded. "Oh, OK."

Edwin looked at his watch. "Well, I should get going. Have fun with Emily." He said, before leaning forward and kissing Casey on the lips. She took him by surprise and grabbed him, kissing him back passionately. She slid her tongue into his mouth and explored, their teeth clacking together.

"Mmmm," Edwin mumbled into Casey's mouth. Casey finished by lightly nipping Edwin on his chin. He stood there dazed. "Wow, I wasn't expecting that."

Casey smiled flirtily. "Well, I've wanted to do that all day, and with you taking off for a little bit, I wanted to leave you with something to remember me by."

Edwin nodded. "Well, you definitely don't have to worry about me forgetting you, Case." He put his hand on the doorknob and twisted open the door. "See ya, babe." He winked at her before heading out the door.

Casey smiled after him, wiping her mouth with her hand.

"Spacey! Emily's here to see you!" Derek's voice sounded from the living room.

"Send her up!" She called down. She was fully looking forward to catching up with her good friend.

**Review please!**


	40. Chapter 40

**Note: OK, I've noticed that the number of reviews has slowed down. Does this mean you are losing interest in this story? Is it dragging on too long? I need to know these things, because if you are not interested, I can always hang it up. Let me know.**

**Chapter Forty: Catching Up**

"Hey Case," Emily said, walking through Casey's door. She gave Casey a big hug and sat down on the bed.

Smiling, Casey said, "Em! I'm soooo sorry we haven't hung out lately. Tell me, what's been happening with you?" she asked, sitting next to Emily on the bed.

Emily grinned widely. "Well, you know I've been spending a lot of time with Shel."

Casey smiled at Emily's nickname for Sheldon. "Yeah, how's that going? When is he leaving?"

Emily's grin faltered a bit. "He's moving right before school starts, so in about two-and-a-half weeks." She looked at Casey and then darted her eyes away.

Casey felt badly for her friend. "Aw, Em, I'm so sorry. I know how upset you are about this." She leaned forward and clasped Emily's hand. "Have you at least been making the most of your time together?"

Emily smiled. "Yeah . . ." she said slyly, looking like the cat that ate the canary.

Casey widened her eyes. "OK, Em, spill. I want to know all the deets. What's that look on your face for?"

Emily giggled. "Well . . ." Emily darted her eyes around the room as if she were making sure they were alone.

Casey snorted. "Em, there's no one in here but us, and it's not like someone is going to jump out of the closet or anything."

Emily laughed until the laughing turned into snorting. "I know, I just don't want anyone to know."

Casey was intrigued now. She leaned forward and narrowed her eyes. "Know what?"

Emily fiddled with her fingernails before meeting Casey's eyes. "I'm not a virgin anymore." She said softly.

Casey was expecting this. It was either this or, well, nothing. "OK." She didn't know what else to say about it.

Emily looked shocked, like she was expecting Casey to yell at her. "That's it?"

Casey shrugged. "Yeah, what were you expecting?"

Emily shifted on the bed. "I don't know. I guess I was expecting you to start yelling and scolding me about how I'm ruining my life."

"Why would I do that?" Casey asked confused.

Emily looked at her like she had grown a third eye. "Uh, Casey, because . . . that's what you do."

"I do?"

"Yeah, remember? Ms. Feminist, better-have-plans-for-the-future, don't mess it up by doing something that you'll regret later?" Emily said, staring hard at Casey's face.

Casey shrugged. "Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, Em, but I guess I've changed."

Emily said nothing for a moment. "Oh, OK. I guess a lot has happened this summer, huh?"

Casey closed her eyes for a moment. 'Oh, she doesn't know the half of it.'

For the next few hours, the two friends caught up on each other's lives, with Casey confiding in Emily about what had happened with Brett, and her decision to change her life. Emily listened, slack-jawed. "Wow, Case. I can't believe Brett turned out to be such a jerk. I know you really liked him."

Casey nodded. "Yeah, it sucked, but I'm working through it." They looked at each other for a moment, and then Casey asked the question she _really_ wanted the answer to: "So, Em, are you going to elaborate?"

"Elaborate on what?" Emily asked, a Cheshire grin on her face.

Casey huffed impatiently. "About _it_."

"Oh, you mean sex?" Emily asked coyly.

Casey growled and lay back on her bed. "Forget it. If you don't want to tell me . . ."

Emily put her hand on Casey's arm. "OK, I'm just messing with ya." She then proceeded to tell Casey how romantic it was, with just her and Sheldon at his parent's house . . . a candlelit dinner . . . Sheldon telling her he loved her . . . one thing leading to another . . . yes, it hurt for a minute, but it went away and was really enjoyable . . . now they can't get enough of each other, and Emily feels like she is in love . . .

Casey took it all in and felt . . . envious. She wanted that. But was Edwin the right "one"? She wasn't sure, but at the moment, it felt right.

A few minutes later, Emily realized with a start that she was late meeting Sheldon. "Oh my god! I totally lost track of time! I'm surprised he hasn't called here looking for me, he tends to worry a lot." Emily said apologetically. She moved forward and gave Casey a hug. "Case, I am sooo glad we hung out today. It felt really nice catching up with you again." Emily paused and looked at her feet. "You know, after Sheldon leaves, I'm going to need a distraction. I hope you don't mind if I hang here with you a lot."

Casey shook her head. "Em, of course I won't mind. That's what friends are for. Besides, once school starts, we'll be so busy with classes and stuff, you won't have time to pine for Sheldon."

"Yeah, you're probably right." Emily said, but she looked doubtful. "I'll talk to ya later, OK?"

"Sure thing, Em. Have _fun_ with Sheldon." Casey said teasingly. Emily said nothing, but smiled and waved before leaving the room.

Sighing, Casey plopped back down on her bed. It was a nice visit, but it would have been nicer if she felt comfortable enough to confide in Emily about Edwin, and tell her of her new friendship with Ashley. The thing with Edwin was understandable, but Casey still didn't understand why she wasn't ready to tell Emily about Ashley. Casey would have to examine that further. And telling Emily about Derek? Well, that was _totally_ out of the question . . .

Casey bounded down the stairs into the kitchen. She was starving. Rifling through the pantry, she found a bag of sun chips and grabbed them. She headed out into the living room. Jamie and Lizzie were sitting on the couch together watching TV. Casey smiled at them both before plopping into Derek's chair. "Hey." She said, putting a chip into her mouth.

"Hey." Jamie and Lizzie said simultaneously.

'Edwin must still be at Teddy's.' Casey thought to herself. Casey was bored. She needed to find something to do on this Friday night. Thinking, she got up and looked outside. The Prince was gone. "Did Derek go to work?"

Lizzie shrugged. "Don't know. When we came back, he wasn't here."

Casey nodded absentmindedly. Well, there went her transportation. She sighed and turned her attention to the TV.

Dinner that night was pretty quiet, considering that there was no Derek for Casey to argue with. Instead, the sound of Marti's excited voice filled the air as she regaled everyone with her adventures at the zoo. Jamie had stayed for dinner also, and he and Lizzie were sharing secret smiles across the table. Casey noticed this and grinned. She was happy her little sister found a nice guy. Hopefully it would turn out better for her than it did for Casey. Brett's face flashed in Casey's mind and her smile faded. She felt eyes on her and looked up to find Edwin gazing at her with a quizzical expression on his face. No doubt he was wondering what she was thinking about. His concern touched her and she smiled at him. His eyes brightened and he smiled back.

Casey turned her attention back to Marti's story and was laughing at something George said when she felt a foot on her leg. She jumped and squealed. "Oh!"

Everyone at the table stopped what they were doing and looked at her. "Honey, is everything OK?" Nora asked, looking concerned.

Casey gulped. "Uh, yeah, I just thought I saw a spider, is all."

"A spider?" Marti said frightfully.

"Yeah, but I was wrong, Marti, don't worry." Casey said quickly, knowing Marti's fear of spiders.

Everyone returned to their dinner and conversation and Casey snuck a glance at Edwin, who was smirking at her. She shook her head slightly and smiled. 'Oh, he's gonna get it.'

Casey scooted down in her chair a bit and stretched out her leg. Her foot came in contact with Edwin's leg and she saw him jerk a bit at her touch. She kept her face straight and continued to eat as she moved her foot closer to his crotch. She chanced a look at Edwin and noticed his face was flushed and he was squirming a bit. She smiled. 'That's what you get for messing with _me_ at the dinner table.' She thought to herself.

She almost shouted when she felt Ed's hand grab her foot to stop the progress up his leg. She felt his fingers massage her foot and move up her ankle, his thumb rubbing circles on her skin. Casey closed her eyes at the contact. He had such a gentle touch that it made Casey want to melt.

They locked eyes and sparks flew. Casey broke the contact and looked around. Everyone was chatting back and forth and not paying attention to Casey or Edwin. Feeling relief, Casey shot a look across the table to Edwin that signaled that she was leaving.

"Um, can I be excused?" Casey asked politely. "I kind of filled up on sun chips earlier and I think I ruined my appetite."

Nora looked at Casey then at her plate. "OK, honey."

Casey smiled and rose from the table, taking her plate with her into the kitchen. She scraped the food into the garbage disposal and put the plate into the dishwasher. Smiling, she went upstairs to wait.

Shortly after Casey excused herself, Edwin made the same request. "May I be excused?" He had finished his food and was anxious to get away.

"Ah, I see you liked my dinner." George said, pleased.

'More like I choked it down so I could leave as soon as possible.' Edwin thought to himself. Instead, so as not to hurt his dad's feelings, he nodded. "Yep, not bad, G."

"Well, thank you. It's not often that I get compliments on my cooking. You may be excused." George said smiling.

Nodding, Edwin left the table and repeated the routine that Casey had performed earlier, rinsing his plate and stacking it in the washer. He ascended the stairs quickly and was passing the games closet when a hand reached out and grabbed his arm, pulling him in. He was startled, but said nothing, as he knew who it was. In the dark of the closet he could smell Casey's shampoo and body wash. Arms twined around his neck and lips descended upon his. "Mmmmm," Edwin sounded against Casey's lips. He wrapped his arms around her waist and returned her kiss passionately, their mouths opening and tongues twining against each other. Edwin squeezed Casey's waist and pressed himself against her. She groaned into the kiss and rubbed her breasts against his chest. Emboldened by her move, Edwin slid his hands under her ass and lifted her against him, her legs automatically wrapping around his waist. He moved forward and pressed her against the wall, using it as leverage as he moved himself against her center. He tore his lips away from hers and moved them down her neck, Casey leaning her head against the wall for better access.

"Oh god, Case, you feel so good . . ." Edwin breathed against her neck. He squeezed her ass harder and pressed himself against her. "I want you so much." He said in a haze of desire.

Casey snapped her head forward to look at him, although it was too dark to actually see his expression. She wiggled herself out of Edwin's grip and her legs slid down his until her feet touched the floor. "Edwin," she whispered.

Edwin continued to kiss her neck and Casey spoke again. "Ed."

He stopped what he was doing and answered. "Yeah?"

"Hang on a minute." Casey said, before cracking the door open and looking around. There was no sign of anyone and she felt around until she found Edwin's hand, grasping it. "Follow me." She whispered, and then pulled him along with her into her room, shutting the door behind them. She turned and faced him, still hanging onto his hand. "Ed, we need to talk."

Edwin's heart sank. No guy wanted to hear those words: '_We need to talk.' _He sighed and sat down at Casey's desk. "You're scaring me, Case. What is it?" Damn, he didn't mean to let on that he was scared, but it popped out before he could stop it. To Edwin, it was very important that he appeared strong in front of Casey. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that he was younger than her and wanted to prove that he was man enough to be in a relationship with her.

Casey got down on her knees in front of Edwin and put her hands on his legs. "Ed, I've been thinking about us, and I want to fill you in on what I think we should do."

Edwin was more confused than ever. "OK . . ."

Casey sighed and rubbed her hands along his legs a bit. "Ed, you know I have feelings for you, and I agreed to try 'this'," she said, motioning her hand between them. "But, it's never out of my mind that you're still only 15. I mean, sometimes I feel like I'm robbing the cradle a bit." She said, looking over his shoulder.

Edwin interjected. "But Case, I'm only two years younger than you. I'll be 16 in a few months." He paused, then continued. "Soon, I'll get a job and save for my own car, then I can take you out like you deserve." He said, reaching out and cupping his palm around Casey's cheek.

She smiled. "I know, Ed. And I'm looking forward to that, trust me." She took a deep breath. "But I think we should wait . . . to, you know, have sex . . . until you're 16." She rushed on, hoping he would understand. "I mean, what would it hurt? It's not like we won't be together in a few months, right? And I would just feel so much better if I could prove to myself that I can wait. It will make it so much sweeter, don't you think?" She examined Edwin's face, which was strangely blank. "I think it would make it even more special than it already would've been." She finished softly.

Edwin said nothing for awhile, just taking in Casey's face. As much as he wanted to make love to Casey and show her with his body how much he loved her, he respected her wishes and knew that she was being honest when she said those things. 'It's only three months,' he thought to himself. Edwin knew he wouldn't argue this with Casey, because she meant more to him than just a piece of ass. If that was all he wanted, he could get it from Marie, or any number of girls he knew. He would wait for as long as Casey wished if it meant they could be together.

Edwin leaned forward and grasped Casey's hands. "Case, it's OK. I can wait as long as you want me to. I just want to be with you – any way, any time, any place." His eyes bore into hers and she studied him a bit before moving forward and hugging him tightly. Edwin moved from the chair onto the floor, hugging her back just as hard. He closed his eyes and smiled. He had everything he could possibly want, and if his girl wanted to wait to make love, well, he would do it. "I love you, Casey." He said, breathing her in. Edwin would never get tired of Casey's smell. It was imprinted on his brain, so even when they weren't together, all he had to do was conjure up her smell and it would make him feel like she was right there with him.

Casey sighed happily. She was overcome with emotions for Edwin right now. So far, every obstacle that they had faced he had come through with flying colors. There was not a thing that he did that she could complain about. Edwin continued to prove himself to her over and over again, and each day her feelings for him grew deeper. She moved back and smiled. "And hey, it doesn't mean that we can't fool around," she said, a seductive look on her face. "There are other ways I can make you feel good."

Edwin's eyes about rolled back in his head. 'God, this girl is going to kill me!' he thought before moving forward to kiss her.

**Review please!**


	41. Chapter 41

**Note: I want to say thank you to everyone who reviewed, and also to the loyal readers who have stuck with the story so far. I, like you, am on a journey, and I often don't know how things are going to come out, even as I'm typing it. **

**One thing: I know there are tons of Dasey shippers out there (I'm one of them!), but remember, this story is Casey-centric, not necessarily Dasey. Now, I'm not saying that won't happen, but I just wanted to remind everyone out there. **

**Anyway, there is a lot more to come and many adventures to be had, so tighten your seatbelts and keep your hands and feet inside the ride until it comes to a complete stop. **

**I thank you. ******

**Oh, by the way, if I didn't mention it earlier, Kendra is in the same grade as Derek and Casey. Thanks again!**

**Chapter Forty-One: It's That Time Again**

_A month later: _Casey was getting her things in order for school. She was still sticking to her "change my life" thing, but now that school was starting again, she found that her old keener habits were returning. 'There's nothing wrong with being prepared,' she told herself as she packed her backpack with pencils, notebooks and folders. She threw in the new lock she had purchased the day before and sat back. 'There! I'm all set. Now all I need to do is pick out my outfit and I'll be all set.' She thought. Deciding to chill for a moment, Casey lay back and thought over the last few weeks . . .

A lot had happened the last month of the summer. Ever since Ashley had come through on her promise to get Casey a fake I.D., they had been hitting the hot spots two to three times a week. Casey enjoyed going out and dancing with Ashley. She often would wear Ashley's clothes and wigs to various places, pretending to be someone different every time. The two were closer than ever and Casey loved spending time with her, but she was careful not to exceed her curfew, lest she alert her mom and George to what she was doing and where was doing it at.

Casey and Edwin were still going strong, although he wished they could spend more time together alone. He was taking the "no sex" decision pretty well, counting down until his 16th birthday, which was in a month.

Emily had been over a lot since Sheldon moved away. Casey tried to keep Emily's mind off him, but often found herself comforting her friend as she sobbed. Casey finally told Emily about her friendship with Ashley, playing it down a lot as to not hurt Emily's feelings. For instance, Emily had no idea that Casey was going out to clubs during the week, as she was too preoccupied with her grief for Sheldon.

Nora's stomach was getting bigger, and the kids, especially Marti, loved to rub it and talk to it, which pleased Nora to no end. She and George still couldn't decide on names, and were often heard going back and forth, striking each other's suggestions. "If it's a boy, we are _not_ naming him Waldo!" Casey heard her mom say one night. "I was just kidding, babe . . ." George said, following Nora down the stairs.

Casey's job had ended a few days ago, and she resigned herself to the fact that she would have to start looking for another place to work soon. She had already started with the mall, checking to see if there were any positions available. So far, she had no luck.

Lizzie and Jamie were still going strong, and Jamie came over for dinner a few nights a week, which told Casey that he must really like Lizzie to brave George's cooking that often.

The only thing that wasn't going well was Casey and Derek's relationship, which had basically deteriorated. Casey thought about this a lot, and it bothered her that her friendship with her stepbrother was coming apart. She tried to talk to him, but he seemed angrier and angrier each time she would approach him about it. There were times when they were alone and things would return to the way they used to be – joking and laughing together – but those times were few and far between. The worst times would be when Casey, Edwin and Derek were together. Derek would be downright cruel, insulting them and generally just being an asshole. Casey was mystified at his behavior, but had stopped trying to figure out what his problem was after they had a particularly vicious confrontation that concluded with Derek calling Casey a word that starts with "c" and rhymes with "hunt." That did it for Casey, and she hadn't spoken to him since, which was about a week so far.

Derek and Sally were still seeing each other, although Casey didn't think their relationship was going too well. She often heard Derek fighting with Sally on the phone, or sometimes when Sally would be at the house she would hear them arguing on the porch or in the living room when they thought no one was paying attention. And although Casey had come to terms with the fact that Sally was around, she still got a small satisfaction out of the fact that they were having problems. It was petty, she knew, but with the way he'd been treating her and Edwin's relationship, it didn't bother her that much.

A knock on her door startled Casey out of her reverie. "Who is it?" she called.

"It's me." Edwin's voice said through the door.

She smiled and got up to open it. "Hey. What's up?" She said casually. They had been more careful lately after a close call with Lizzie a few days earlier. Casey and Edwin had gotten carried away in the living room when no one was home and Casey was giving him a blow job when they heard voices outside the door. She had quickly gotten off her knees and Edwin had to whip up his pants, which he got fastened a millisecond before the door opened and in walked Lizzie and Jamie. After that, they had resolved to cool things a bit, which meant frequent cold showers for him and plenty of time with the vibrator for her.

Edwin looked around. "Can I come in?"

Looking around herself, and finding no one in the area, Casey nodded and pulled him in. She shut the door quickly and led him to the bed, where they both sat down. She leaned over and gave him a kiss. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this late-night visit?" She asked playfully.

Edwin smiled and took her hand. "No reason. I was just wondering if you're excited about school starting again."

Casey shrugged. "I wouldn't say I'm 'excited', but I'm ready. How about you?"

He looked at her a moment before answering. "I am, but there's been something on my mind and I wanted your opinion on it."

"What is it?" She asked, looking into his eyes trying to get a hint of what it was.

"Well, I'm just wondering how I'm going to handle being at the same school with you and not be able to touch you or kiss you and let everyone know that we're a couple." He paused, and then continued. "Have you thought about that at all?" He asked, his eyes searching hers.

Casey sat silently for a moment. In fact, she _hadn't_ thought about it. She was so used to them having to sneak around and hide it from their family that she was just resigned to it. In all honesty, she was more worried about which classes she had and how she would juggle a job and her studies. "Well, I honestly haven't thought about it much, Ed." She noticed his face fall a bit. "But I guess it's just because I've gotten used to sneaking around, is all." She said, squeezing his hand.

"Yeah, I guess I can understand that. It's just hard for me to imagine seeing my girl all day at school and not be able to hold her and tell her how much I love her for fear of everyone ridiculing us." He said sadly.

Casey felt for him. "Edwin, we will figure this out, OK? But you know why we have to keep things secret, right? We've talked about this many times." She tried not to let her impatience show.

He nodded. "I know. It just sucks is all." He looked up and smiled. "But I'll get over it. Everything will work itself out, I just know it." He said resolutely.

Casey smiled and pulled him in for a hug. He hugged her tightly and said, "I just love you so much, Case. Sometimes it blows me away how strong my feelings are for you." He said into her hair.

She grinned and hugged him tighter, then drew back. "How did I get so blessed to have such a wonderful boyfriend?" She asked him.

Edwin blushed and ducked his head. "I don't know, you're just lucky, I guess."

Casey shook her head. "Oh babe, luck had nothing to do with it."

They smiled at each other before saying their goodnights and going to sleep. After all, they needed their rest for the first day of school the following morning . . .

Casey, Derek, Lizzie and Edwin were all in the Prince on the way to school. Derek was driving (of course!) and Casey was in the front passenger seat. There was no sound in the car, even the radio was silent. Casey glanced over at Derek, who was staring straight ahead with a blank face. He was so still, he almost looked like a mannequin and Casey had to blink her eyes to assure herself that it was indeed her stepbrother driving and not some alien robot that had taken over his body. She laughed to herself and turned slightly in her seat to look in the back. Edwin caught her eye and smiled slightly, still looking tired. Casey looked at Lizzie, who sat straight in her seat and looked very rested, a smile on her face as she gazed out the window, probably thinking of when she would see Jamie again.

Casey sighed and turned back around. She wondered how things were going to go on her first day of being a senior.

The first thing she noticed was they way the other students, mainly freshman, looked at her and the other kids who were seniors. They were definitely the top dogs of the school and Casey found that she got more respect simply because she was a senior. She and Emily walked the halls, getting acquainted with their new schedules. They had two classes together – Government and Economics – and thankfully had the same lunch period.

Casey also noted that she had three classes with Derek – French, Chemistry and Ethics. They were still not speaking, and apparently not even acknowledging each other's presence, at least on Derek's part, as he would look right through her whenever they were in proximity to one another.

Emily and Casey were in between classes when Max and Amy walked by. Casey had not seen or heard anything about Amy since that dreadful party, but she was stunned by Amy's appearance, which to put it kindly, was horrendous. Amy looked very pale and thin, sickly almost. Her hair was stringy and there were dark circles under her eyes. Max looked the same, and when they passed, hand in hand, his eyes met Casey's and he smiled slightly before continuing on his way. Casey stared after them, mainly focusing on Amy's bony frame.

She still hadn't told Emily about what had happened, and didn't think she ever would. "Wow. What the hell is wrong with Amy? She looks ill." Emily's voice said in her ear.

Casey looked at Emily. "Beats me," was all she said as they headed to the next class together.

She was gathering up her things after school when she noticed Kendra approaching out of the corner of her eye. Casey turned and smiled. "Hey Kendra."

Kendra smiled and looked surprised by Casey's warm greeting. "Hey Case." She said hesitantly.

"How have you been? I haven't seen you in awhile." Casey said, not bothering to mention when the last time was. They both knew what she was alluding to.

"I've been OK, and you?" Kendra said, examining her face carefully.

Casey shrugged. "I've been good. Summer went way too fast though, don't you think?"

Kendra nodded. "Yeah, it did," she paused a moment, shifting awkwardly, "Casey, I wanted to apologize for what happened that night. I should have never introduced you to that crowd. And Brett . . ." she trailed off, not knowing what else to say.

Casey took pity on her. "Kendra, I don't blame you for what they did. You didn't know they were going to do that. And I know you would never want to purposely hurt me." She smiled at her, trying to reassure her that everything was OK.

Kendra smiled. "Well, I should have called you sooner, but I just didn't know what to say and I was afraid you hated me and I felt so stupid, and . . ."

Casey put up her hand. "Kendra, stop. I said I don't blame you, and I meant it. Now, can we not worry about it anymore?" Truth is, Casey didn't want to talk about that night. She still had nightmares occasionally, but she thought she was dealing with it pretty well, as long as she didn't concentrate on it. Most of the time, she kept it locked up in a corner of her mind, which is exactly where she wanted to keep it.

Kendra moved forward and gave her a hug. "So we're still friends?" she asked hopefully.

"Of course we are, silly." Casey said hugging her back.

"Awesome!" Kendra said with her typical enthusiasm. "We should hang out again sometime."

"Sure, we could do that." Casey answered noncommittally.

Kendra nodded and turned to leave. "Well, I gotta go, Case. I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?"

"Definitely." Casey answered before shutting her locker and heading for the parking lot.

On her way out, Edwin fell into step beside her. "So, how was your first day?" He asked, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye.

"It was fine. And yours?" She noticed for the first time how handsome he looked in his new school clothes.

"Good, except I barely saw you all day. We don't even have lunch together, so I can't even spirit you off for a quickie in the janitor's closet." He said jokingly.

Casey laughed. "Edwin, you are so romantic."

He snickered. "You know it, babe."

They were laughing as they approached the car. Lizzie and Derek were already there waiting for them. "Oh, so I see you've decided to grace us with your presence." Derek said to them snidely, his eyes on Edwin, totally ignoring Casey.

"Sorry bro. I hope you haven't been waiting long." Edwin said, his tone not sorry at all.

Derek's eyes narrowed. "If I'm going to have to haul your butts back and forth to school everyday, then you better learn the schedule, got it?"

Casey fumed. "Listen, Derek. It isn't only your car, it's mine too. That means that you have to compromise with _my_ schedule too, so stop being an asshole." She spat at him, breaking her self-imposed silent treatment of him.

Even with her cruel comeback, Derek refused to acknowledge her presence, simply starting the car and putting it into gear. She and Edwin hopped in and quickly fastened their seatbelts before he gunned the engine and sped off. Casey was thinking that something was going to have to break soon or else things around the house were just going to get worse, and she didn't know if she could handle that.

**Review please!**


	42. Chapter 42

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but a Total Gym that's used to hang clothes on.

**Chapter Forty-Two: Bleeding Love**

Derek couldn't stop staring at Amy, who was in his Government class. He ran his eyes over her body. Her clothes hung on her and her skin had an unhealthy pallor that belied a serious illness. Derek wondered if she was dying or something. As if she could feel his gaze on the back of her head, Amy turned and focused on Derek, her eyes strangely blank. It freaked him out. She looked like a zombie – no expression whatsoever. After a moment, she turned back around and Derek felt relief at not having to look at her anymore. His body gave an involuntary shudder and he tried to focus his mind elsewhere, landing on the new girl and her knockout legs a few rows over. 'Now _that_ I can get into,' he thought, a smile forming on his face.

Later, in French class, Derek found himself in a place he didn't want to be when it was announced that he and Casey would be partnered together on a project that was due the following week. He wanted to argue, but thought it would bring more attention than he wanted to deal with. Derek chanced a glance at Casey, who was looking right back at him, a hopeful smile on her face. He willed his expression to be blank and turned back to his book.

Across the room, Casey was secretly glad at the pair-up. Maybe she could use this opportunity to get Derek to start talking to her again. She hoped so, because the atmosphere in the house was downright miserable, with even George and her mom noticing. _"Boy, it sure is quiet,"_ her mom had said at dinner the other night. _"I'm used to the two of you arguing and insulting each other, not the stone silence we have now. Dare I say it? I almost miss the arguing!" _Nora said with a smile on her face. George had silently agreed, while everyone else said nothing, instead darting their eyes between Derek and Casey. Whatever was going on between them, they knew it wasn't good. Well, Lizzie and Marti didn't know; Edwin was all too aware of what it was, and he didn't like it one bit. He now was convinced that his brother wanted Casey for himself, and he wasn't about to let that happen.

* * *

Casey was in her room studying when a knock sounded on her door. "Who is it?" she asked, continuing to write out the answer to the Chemistry problem she was working on.

"It's me," Derek said through the door.

Casey immediately straightened up and closed her Chemistry book. "Come in."

The door opened and Derek appeared. He stood just inside her room and looked nervous. Casey noticed his fists were clenching and unclenching at his sides. "Well?" she asked, a smile on her face.

Derek seemed to snap out of it and focused his eyes on Casey's face. "Uh, I'm here to talk about the French thing we have to do."

'French thing?' Casey quirked an eyebrow. Since when did Derek care about homework? She thought she would have to corner him to get him to work on it with her. "My my, is Derek Venturi actually caring about his grades now?" she asked sassily.

"Don't get all excited, Spacey. I'm not becoming a keener like you. However, even _I_ realize that with this being my senior year, I have to get at least a passing grade in all my classes."

"Ah, I see. Well, I guess we should sit down and discuss how this is gonna go," Casey said, peering at Derek closely. He was acting weird, frankly. "However, I can't do it right now because I'm getting ready to take off. Can we set aside some time tomorrow night? Or do you have to work?"

Derek looked at his watch. "It's almost 8 p.m. on a school night, and you have plans?" he asked incredulously.

"Yeah, what of it?" Casey answered snottily.

"Well, I don't remember you asking me if you could borrow the car," Derek said with a triumphant look on his face.

Casey struggled to keep her temper. She hated when Derek acted like this. "Derek, may I please borrow the car?" She decided that instead of inciting another argument, she would stroke his ego and give in to him . . . just this once.

Derek studied her for a moment before shrugging his shoulders. "Yeah, OK. Just don't wreck it or anything. And you'd _better not_ drive drunk," he said with a severe look in his eyes.

"Yes, dad," Casey said obediently before shooing him out of her bedroom so she could get ready.

Derek ran smack-dab into Edwin as soon as he left Casey's room. It was like Ed was waiting outside the door or something. "Ed," he nodded in greeting as he passed him on the way to his own room.

"What were you doing in Casey's room?" Edwin's voice sounded behind him.

Derek halted his movement and mentally rolled his eyes. His brother was not going to hang onto a woman like Casey by being jealous and clingy. Turning to face Edwin, he said, "We were discussing our French assignment. We're partners." He paused and appraised his brother's face. "Do you have a problem with that?" he said, crossing his arms.

"No. I don't." Edwin said shortly before going around Derek into Casey's room. Derek turned and watched as his brother went in and shut the door behind him without so much as a second glance at Derek. Shaking his head, Derek went into his own room and flopped on the bed. Grabbing the remote to his stereo, he hit the POWER button and music blasted from the speakers. Derek closed his eyes and lost himself in the noise.

Casey was not surprised to see Edwin in her room immediately after Derek left. Lately, it seemed as if Edwin was lurking around, spying on her all the time. At first, she found it sweet, then her feelings changed and she found it comforting. Now she was entering a stage where it was starting to annoy the hell out of her.

As she was thinking this, Edwin came over and kissed her on the lips before settling himself beside her on the bed. "Hey babe. I hope you don't mind me just walking in. I really wanted to see your beautiful face." Edwin said smiling.

Casey's annoyance faded a bit. "No, it's OK. What's up?" she asked, taking a discreet peek at her watch. She was supposed to meet Ashley in an hour at the club to watch her dance. Ashley told Casey she wanted her there to see the debut of her new routine that she had been working on for weeks. At first, Casey begged out of it, but the pouty face Ashley gave her did it. Casey couldn't say no to that.

"Do you have to be somewhere?" Edwin's voice cut through her thoughts and she turned her head toward him.

"Uh, yeah. I'm meeting Ashley in a bit. I'm sorry I forget to mention it to you." Casey said examining Edwin's face for a reaction. "Are you OK with that?" Casey asked, feeling stupid that she was asking her 15-year-old boyfriend permission to go out.

Edwin raised his head to look at her. It really _wasn't_ OK with him. He would rather she stay home and spend some quality time with him, which was in short supply lately. All he did nowadays was compete with Ashley for Casey's time and attention. He really wanted to tell her this, but was afraid of pissing her off, so instead he said, "Well, that sounds fun. Just don't stay out too late, OK? You don't want to be dragging ass tomorrow at school."

Casey agreed. "Yeah, I know. I'll be home by 11:30." Casey's actual curfew on a school night was 11, but she knew her parents didn't bother to wait up for her because they trusted her so much that the thought of her breaking curfew never entered their minds. She took Edwin's hand and kissed it. "I should get ready babe. I'll come see you before I go, OK?"

Edwin nodded. "OK," he said before getting up to leave. He walked to the door and put his hand on the knob. "I love you Casey," he said solemnly before turning and exiting her room.

Casey sat there deep in thought until she glanced at the clock and realized she would be late if she didn't get a move on. She didn't dare miss Ashley's performance tonight.

* * *

The club was crowded, but Casey had no trouble using her fake I.D., as she was quickly becoming a "regular" there. Hell, she was practically on a first-name basis with the bouncers!

Tonight Casey was attired in clothes that were mostly Ashley's, except for the bra and panties, which were part of the purchase she made in what seemed so long ago now. Over top of that she had on a short white skirt and a deep-blue scoop neck t-shirt, which was just tight enough to show off her assets. Her hair was wavy and her lids were the same color blue as her shirt. On her feet she wore black stilettos.

She scanned the room as she moved through the crowd toward the stage. Casey was hoping to scam a nice seat for herself. She was in luck as she spotted a lone guy sitting at a table for two near the front. Putting on her best smile she sauntered over to him and put her hand on his shoulder, causing him to jump a bit and whirl around.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. I'm here to see my best friend dance tonight and I was trying to get a seat near the front. I saw you here by yourself, and . . ." she trailed off thinking how stupid she must sound to this guy who was just staring at her expressionless. "You know what? Forget it. I'm really sorry for bothering you . . ." she said, turning to leave.

"Hey, wait!" The guy called out.

Casey turned back.

"Look, there's no one sitting here. Why don't you sit next to me? It's no big deal." The guy said smiling now, which caused a grin to break out on Casey's face.

"Really? That is so cool. You are so nice, thank you!" She said, sitting down next to him. "I'm Casey, and you are . . .?"

"Steve. Nice to meet you," he said, shaking Casey's hand. "What are you having? I'll get the waitress for you."

"I'll take a Captain and Coke, thanks for asking."

He nodded and raised his hand to signal the waitress, who immediately headed over. After placing the order, he turned to her. "So, who are you here to see tonight?"

Casey thought for a moment. She knew Ashley didn't go by her real name when she was onstage, and she wasn't about to spill the secret to a guy she just met. "I'm here to see Amber." Casey said, amazingly keeping a straight face. She and Ashley had this conversation awhile ago, and Casey still found it hilarious that she danced under the name "Amber".

"_Ash, aren't all strippers and Playboy bunny models named Amber? I mean, come on. Couldn't you have thought up something better?" Casey said laughing._

_Laughing with her, Ashley replied, "Hey! Obviously I don't want clients to know my real name unless __I__ decide to give it to them. And I wasn't about to perform as 'Misty' or 'Precious', or any other shit like that. I think of it this way: Amber isn't that far from Ashley, and is so ordinary (in this business, anyway), that it's like hiding in plain sight! People think it's my real name and I never have reason to tell them any different! Genius, right?"_

_Casey was still laughing as she shook her head. "I think you're crazy, but whatever . . ." _

"_Oh you do, do you? Well, I'll give you crazy . . ." Ashley said before pouncing on Casey and tickling her mercilessly._

"Woo hoo!" Steve said, waving his hand in front of her.

"I'm sorry, I zoned out for a sec," Casey said smiling at him. She took a moment to check him out more closely. He was kind of cute, in an I'm-really-brainy-but-don't-think-I-can't-be-wild sort of way. He had dark wavy hair and dark eyes, from what she could make out in the limited lighting. His smile was nice, and she didn't get any weird vibes from him. She took a sip of her drink and settled in to wait for the show to start, making small talk with Steve and enjoying herself.

Twenty minutes later, the lights went down and the crowd started applauding. Ashley, or "Amber", was the most popular dancer at Pleasures. She even received fan mail, which she read and answered (all except the ones from psychos) faithfully every week.

Casey took a sip of her drink and sat up straighter. She flashed a smile at Steve, who returned the gesture as the music began, which was _Bleeding Love,_ by Leona Lewis. The spotlight came on and there stood Ashley, in a short bob brunette wig, silver glittery tube top and tight black pants. On her feet were silver stilettos. Casey involuntarily found herself holding her breath. She never got tired of watching Ashley dance. Each and every time it was like seeing her onstage for the first time.

_Closed off from love  
I didn't need the pain  
Once or twice was enough  
And it was all in vain  
Time starts to pass  
Before you know it you're frozen_

_Ooooh..._

_But something happened  
For the very first time with you  
My heart melted into the ground  
Found something true  
And everyone's looking 'round  
Thinking I'm going crazy_

_Chorus:  
But I don't care what they say  
I'm in love with you  
They try to pull me away  
But they don't know the truth  
My heart's crippled by the vein  
That I keep on closing  
You cut me open and I_

_Keep bleeding  
Keep, keep bleeding love  
I keep bleeding  
I keep, keep bleeding love  
Keep bleeding  
Keep, keep bleeding love  
You cut me open . . ._

Casey watched enraptured as Ashley went into her routine, her body moving seamlessly to the beat of the song. It was slower than what Ash usually danced to, but the moves she put to the song were mind-blowing. The whole room was silent, it seemed, as everyone turned to set their eyes on the woman who was transfixing them. Casey smiled to herself in appreciation of Ashley's talent for entertaining people. She had a real flare for putting herself out there, but in a non-slutty way. The fact that Ashley was gyrating and slowly losing each item of clothing was secondary; if possible, it made even the most perverted of people fix their eyes on her face rather than the rest of her body.

Ashley's eyes met Casey's and remained there for the rest of the song. Casey felt a tingle start in her toes as she watched Ashley undress down to a thong. Her gaze narrowed to tunnel vision, until it seemed as if Casey and Ashley were the only two in the room. Casey felt flushed, and her heart beat faster and faster, until she felt the need to gasp air in greedy gulps. She was scarcely aware of Steve sitting next to her as she sat there still as a statue watching her best friend move her body so beautifully to the music.

Casey distantly felt herself taking a sip of her drink as she watched Ashley finish the song and bow to thunderous applause. Casey had never seen anything like it before. Usually, the mood at the club was one of a juvenile frat-boy, with the regular pigs mixed in with the "virgins" who stared at the naked bodies in awe and looked like they were about to cum in the pants. Ashley bowed again and blew a kiss to Casey, who was also standing and clapping wildly. She saw Ash tilt her head ever-so-slightly to Casey that signaled that she wanted her to come backstage to the dressing room.

She turned to Steve. "Hey, it was nice meeting you, Steve. I'm gonna run backstage and give my girl her props. Thanks again," she said, sticking out her hand to say goodbye.

Steve looked at her in envy. "_That's_ your best friend? Wow, she's the best dancer I've ever seen! Can you take me to meet her? Or at least get me an autograph?"

Casey laughed. Ashley would get such a kick out of someone wanting her autograph. "Well, if you're gonna be here for a bit, I'll see what I can do, OK?"

He smiled. "Cool! I'll be here for awhile, so I'll just keep my eye out for you. Sound good?"

"OK. I'm not guaranteeing anything, though," she said, looking at him. "I don't want to disappoint you if she's not comfortable with it."

"Sure, I understand. If it happens, cool. If not, that's OK too."

Casey smiled before heading toward the back. She nodded at Bruce, the bodyguard, before approaching Ashley's dressing room door and knocking. "Yeah?" Ashley's voice sounded muffled through the door.

"It's me, babe," Casey answered with a smile.

The door opened and Ashley stood there in a robe. "Well, don't just stand there, get in here!" she said, grabbing Casey and pulling her inside.

Casey laughed and threw her arms around Ashley, giving her a big hug. "You were awesome! Did you see everyone giving you a standing ovation?"

Ashley pulled back and looked at the floor shyly, which made Casey want to laugh. 'Ashley, shy?' "Yeah, I did. I worked really hard on that routine and I wanted everyone to like it, so I'm glad they did," she paused and pulled Casey over to the couch where they both sat down. "But more importantly, what did _you_ think?" Ashley asked, her eyes burning into Casey's.

Casey felt her heart start to race again and had a hard time keeping her voice even as she answered. "Ash, it was best dancing I've ever seen. You were wonderful, more than wonderful, out there."

Ashley smiled. "I'm glad you think so, because your opinion is the only one that counts."

Casey was stunned. 'What did she mean by that?' Was she reading more into the performance than there was? Because all through it, Casey felt as if Ashley was dancing just for her, and no one else. The way she moved her body, her eyes pinned on Casey . . . no, she must be going crazy!

Casey snapped out of her thoughts and remembered Steve's request. "Oh! The guy I was sitting with – Steve – he wants to know if he can meet you and get your autograph," she said with a smile.

Laughing, Ashley said, "I think I can arrange that. I just need to change and then you can bring him back, OK?"

"He'll be thrilled," Casey said, getting up to leave. "I'll be back in five minutes. Does that give you enough time?"

Ashley nodded. "Yep. I'll see you in a few."

Casey nodded before leaving to tell Steve the good news.

**Review please!**


	43. Chapter 43

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, I don't care what the IRS says…

**Chapter Forty-Three: Uh Oh . . .**

Casey was at her locker before school when she noticed Emily approaching her with a distressed look on her face. She shut her locker and waited. "Hey, Em. What's up?" Casey asked, noting the way Emily's eyes were darting around nervously.

"I have to talk to you," Emily said in a hushed voice, grabbing Casey's arm and dragging her down the hall. Casey thought they were going to the girl's bathroom, but they continued past the entrance and headed for the front doors of the school.

"Em, class starts in like five minutes, why are we heading outside?" Casey asked.

"Because I can't talk in here. I don't want anyone to know," Emily answered cryptically.

"Ooookay," Casey said, really curious now. As soon as they exited the building, Emily let go of Casey's arm and turned to face her. She stood there staring at Casey for a moment twisting her hands together.

"Em, what is it? You're scaring me," Casey asked, concerned.

"It goes without saying that what I'm about to tell you is strictly between us, right?" Emily said in a rush.

"Yeah, yeah, now spill it."

"I'm pregnant."

'Pregnant?' Casey couldn't believe it. Girls like Emily didn't get pregnant. Only slutty girls got knocked up. '_Right_?'

"You're horrified, aren't you," Emily said in a small voice.

"What? No, Em, that's not it at all. I'm just shocked is all," Casey said putting her hand on Emily's shoulder. "It's Sheldon's, right?"

Emily looked offended. "Of course it's Sheldon's! I don't sleep around!" she said in a loud whisper.

Casey felt like an idiot. "I'm sorry, Em. I didn't mean it the way it sounded. Like I said, I'm in shock."

Emily's expression softened. "It's OK. I'm in shock too." She looked around making sure there was no one within earshot.

"How long have you known?"

"A few days," Emily sighed. "I've suspected for a while, though. But I only took a test this past weekend."

'A few days? And she's just now telling me?' Casey pondered before pushing the thought away. "So you haven't been to a doctor or anything yet?"

"No," Emily stepped closer to Casey and lowered her voice. "You're the only person who knows about this, Case, and I'd like to keep it that way for awhile. At least until I decide what the heck I'm going to do. My parents don't know and neither does Sheldon."

Casey nodded. "Em, I won't tell a soul, I promise." Casey couldn't help but think of all the secrets she was currently keeping from Emily, including the huge one of dating her stepbrother. "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know yet. I haven't talked to Sheldon in awhile," Emily said sadly. "The last time we spoke on the phone we both agreed to see other people. We basically broke up. And now here I am pregnant! God, it's so unfair!" she said, choking back a sob.

Casey drew Emily into a hug. "I'm so sorry, Em. If there's anything I can do, you know I'll do it."

Emily's voice was muffled in Casey's shoulder. "I know you would, and I really appreciate it. You're my best friend, Case. But you already know that, don't you?"

Casey smiled slightly over Emily's shoulder. "Yeah I did, Em." She felt bad that she couldn't honestly say the same thing back to her. Not anymore. Not since Ashley. Casey shook herself out of it. Now was not the time to be thinking of her relationship – or whatever it was – with Ashley. Emily needed her and Casey was going to be there.

The school bell rang, making the girls pull away from each other. "We'd better head in before we get detention," Casey said softly.

Emily ran her fingers under her eyes. "Do I look OK? I don't want anyone to know I was crying."

"You look great, Em, don't worry about it."

Smiling at Casey, she said, "Let's go, then. The sooner this day gets started, the sooner it ends and I can go home and think about what the hell I'm gonna do with this," Emily said, gesturing to her stomach.

Casey nodded and they both headed inside.

* * *

"Where were you this morning?" Ed asked her as they were walking down the hall a few hours later. They were careful not to walk too close together and _god forbid_ they should touch.

"I was talking to Emily," Casey replied, hoping that Edwin wouldn't push for details.

"Oh," he said. "I was just wondering." They stopped at his locker and he opened it to switch books for his next class. Lowering his voice, he said, "Can we hang out tonight?"

Casey kept her face neutral as she answered. "Well, I told Derek I would set aside time to work with him on our French project. But maybe after that we can spend some time together."

Edwin shut his locker and tried not to look disappointed. "OK. Well, I guess I'll just wait for you to let me know if it's gonna happen or not."

They started walking again until Casey reached her next class. "And don't forget, it's _your_ turn to take out the trash tonight!" she said loudly as a group of people passed giving them strange looks.

Edwin rolled his eyes. Casey was ridiculous sometimes when it came to keeping their secret. I mean, sure, he would rather no one found out about them, but he figured if they did, then he and Casey could show their affection in public. "I gotta go," he said, giving her a wink before turning in the other direction toward his next class. Casey stood there staring after him until Derek stepped in front of her, blocking her view of Edwin's retreat.

"Uh, are you going in?" he asked nodding his head toward the classroom. Leaning closer, he added, "Or are you gonna stand out here all day mooning over your little boy toy?"

Casey narrowed her eyes at him and scowled. "Shut up, Derek. You're just jealous."

Derek looked surprised. "Jealous? You wish!"

Casey smirked at him. "Yeah, you're jealous that I have a great relationship and you don't," she said, referring to Derek's rocky whatever-it-was with Sally. "Are you and Sally even still together?"

"Yeah, we're together! And what makes you think we're having trouble?" Derek asked inching even closer, which caused Casey to move back against the door.

She made a show of tapping her finger on her chin. "Let's see, maybe because I hear you two fighting all the time? And she hasn't been around lately?"

Derek's face darkened. "Sally and I are just fine, Spacey. Don't you worry about it," he said before stepping around her and purposely knocking her into the wall with his shoulder.

Righting herself, Casey screwed up her face in anger before following him into the classroom.

Later, in the car on their way home, Casey asked Derek, "So, did you want to work on our project right when we get home?"

Derek shook his head. "No can do. After I drop you guys off and change, I have to go to work for a few hours. I'm trying to get all the shifts I can," he said not taking his eyes off the road.

Casey resisted the urge to turn around and look at Edwin. "Oh, well, when do you get off?"

Derek smirked but chose not to go there. "Probably around 8." Derek answered before turning the corner.

Casey turned her head to look out the window. "OK. I guess we can work on it tomorrow."

Derek shot her a glance. "No, I want to start tonight." At Casey's surprised look he said, "What? I told you I want to do better this year."

Casey nodded. "Alright then. Just come see me when you get home and we can work on it a little before bed."

Derek snorted noncommittally while Edwin scowled in the backseat and Lizzie said nothing, no doubt daydreaming about Jamie.

As soon as they got home, Edwin cornered Casey in her room. "Hey," he said, leaning on her door jamb.

Casey looked up from her book. "Hi. Come in," she said smiling.

He entered and shut the door behind him. It was a wonder that no one in the house besides Derek had figured out Edwin and Casey's involvement with each other yet. Marti was a smart girl, but was pretty much in her own world much of the time, while Lizzie was, more often than not, spending time outside the house, either with her friends or with Jamie. George and Nora continued to be oblivious as they eagerly awaited the birth of their baby.

Edwin came and sat down next to Casey, who was still thinking a lot about the conversation she had earlier with Emily. 'Damn!' Casey thought to herself. 'I don't know what I would do if I was in her position!' She snapped out of it when she felt Edwin's lips on the side of her neck. Unconsciously, she tilted her head to give him better access. "Mmmmm, that feels good," she said softly, letting the book slip out of her fingers.

Edwin mumbled something into her neck that sounded like an agreement. A moment later, he moved away slightly and said, "We haven't had a lot of time together lately, Case. I miss you."

Casey knew that and felt bad. She _had_ been pulling away, she just didn't know why. She was also spending a lot more time with Ashley and on top of that was trying to look for a job. "I'm sorry, sweetie. There's been a lot going on." She put her arms around Edwin and squeezed. "You are sooo cute. Do you know that?"

He moved back to look at her face and smiled. "I only know what you tell me," he said, his eyes warm.

She laughed and drew him to her. Pressing her lips against his, she tried to shove aside the stray thoughts that were flying through her head – Emily, Ashley, Derek – all of them were pushed to the back of her mind as she concentrated on kissing her wonderful boyfriend who only wanted to spend more time with her.

"You know, my birthday's not that far away," he said in her ear after they broke apart.

"Yes, I know," she replied as she drew designs on his shirt with her fingers.

Edwin looked down at her hand and grabbed it before bringing it to his lips. "I want to make it special – just you and me. Do you think we can get away with doing that? Or do you think the family will want to make a big deal out of it?"

Casey laughed. "Edwin, I think you just answered your own question."

He laughed with her. "Yeah, you're right. We may not be able to 'celebrate' the way I want to on the exact date of my birthday, but we'll figure something out, right?" he asked, a hopeful look in his eyes.

Despite her reservations – she still felt like she wasn't ready – she nodded and gave him a warm smile. "Of course we will, hon."

Edwin grinned before pulling her to him and kissing her again.

* * *

"What the hell is your problem _now_?" Derek asked Sally at Smelly Nellie's, where they were working a shift together.

"My problem, Derek, is that you're not treating me the same as you used to."

Derek didn't look at her as he continued to clear a table whose patrons had just left. Pocketing the tip, he replied, "Sally, I treat you the way I've always treated you. I don't know what you are talking about."

Sally followed him closely as he headed toward the back with a bus tub full of dirty dishes. "No you don't, Derek. First you chase after me while I'm with Patrick, then when I become available you pull back. Then you get all sweet again and everything's great. And now you're pulling away again! What is going on with you?" she said practically yelling in his ear.

Trying to keep himself from losing his temper, Derek took a deep breath before answering. "Look, Sal. I'm sorry if I've been giving you the wrong impression. But you know that since school has started, I'm a lot more busy." Sally had no such worries since she graduated the year before and was taking some time off before enrolling in community college.

"I know what you said, Derek, and I get that. But I still can't shake the feeling that there's something else . . ." Sally said, trailing off as more customers entered the restaurant.

"Can we talk about this later?" Derek asked, although he would be just as happy to never talk about it again.

Sally sighed dramatically. "Yeah, I guess so," she said before going to seat the people waiting at the door.

Derek watched her go and breathed a sigh of relief. What started out as a great relationship had turned into a chore. And it seemed to happen overnight. He shook his head to himself. 'Women,' he thought before heading to the back to wash dishes.

**Review please!**


	44. Chapter 44

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but a wobbly dryer.

**Chapter Forty-Four: A Crush? Oh, Hell No!**

_Three weeks later; one day before Edwin's 16__th__ birthday._

Casey was sitting at the dining table with Nora, George, Lizzie and Marti, talking about Edwin's birthday, which was the next day. Because the birth of the baby was quickly approaching, George and Nora reluctantly agreed not to give Edwin a big blow-out. Instead, they would keep it simple – dinner and a few friends. Casey sat there silently and listened as the rest of the family (minus Derek, who was working), argued about the menu.

"Edwin likes steak, so we should have steak," Marti said resolutely.

George grimaced. "Marti, steak is expensive. How about hot dogs and hamburgers?"

"How is that different than what we usually have?" she countered, sounding like an adult.

George glanced at Nora, who said nothing, but rubbed her forehead tiredly. "Marti, honey," she began, "we have to watch our money. I know it's not fun, but that's the way it is."

"I'm sure Edwin will be happy with anything we have," Lizzie said, looking around the table. "He's not picky," she added, her fingers absently playing with the necklace Jamie bought for her.

Casey agreed, but still said nothing. Instead, she twisted the tissue in her hands until it was in tatters and tried not to let her nervousness show. Tomorrow night was _the_ night. And Casey wasn't sure she was ready. Hell, she wasn't sure she _wanted_ to be ready. Because as wonderful as Edwin was to her, and as adorable and sexy she thought he was, there was something else fighting for her attention. And that thing, _or person_, was Ashley. Casey found herself wanting to spend more and more time with her best friend, who made Casey feel like there wasn't anything she couldn't do, and never failed to make whatever they were doing fun.

"What do you think, Case?" her mother's voice shattered her thoughts and she whipped her head up to look at Nora.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"I asked if you could help bake the cake for Edwin's birthday," Nora said, a worried look in her eyes. "Is everything OK, honey? You've been awfully quiet lately."

Casey nodded her head. "I'm fine, mom. Just thinking about school, you know." _Yeah, right._

Nora smiled. "So, is that a yes?" she asked hopefully.

"I would absolutely love to make Edwin's cake," Casey said smiling. She scooted her chair back. "I have some homework to do. Are we through?"

"You go on ahead, sweetie. We'll finish with the details," Nora said, her eyes warm.

Casey's gut clenched as she looked into her mother's eyes. The fact that she was keeping so much from her nowadays was beginning to wear on Casey. And she continued to be amazed at the obliviousness of the rest of the family as to her relationship with Edwin. At first, it added to the excitement, but now it felt like a millstone around her neck. She sighed deeply as she climbed the stairs.

Once in her room, she grabbed her cell phone and called Ashley.

"Hey sweet thang," Ashley's voice sounded on the phone after the second ring. "How are you?"

Casey took a deep breath. "I'm OK." For some reason, she was hesitant to let on to Ashley just how nervous she was about having sex. Or maybe it was having sex _with Edwin_ that was the problem.

Ashley was silent for a moment, her mind no doubt working overtime to figure out what the problem was. "Spill it, babe. Something's on your mind. Let your girl Ashley help you," she said warmly.

Casey couldn't help but smile into the phone. "Well, you know Ed's been really gung-ho about _being together_ on his birthday . . ."

"Yeah . . ." Ashley said, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"Well, I think I'm having second thoughts."

Silence, then: "Well, just because he wants to doesn't automatically mean that you have to. It's up to you, Case. Don't do something you'll regret later."

"I know, I just don't want to disappoint him. He's been so sweet . . . he's really the best boyfriend a girl could ask for," Casey said miserably.

Ashley picked up on this. "If he's so wonderful, how come you sound so miserable?"

Casey felt the prick of tears in her eyes. "I don't know, Ash, I don't know."

"Hey," Ashley's voice became soft. "It's OK, really."

Casey sniffed and choked back a sob. "I just can't help but feel like I'm making a big mistake. I don't know . . . I was all gung-ho to have sex with Brett, but Edwin is different . . ."

Ashley cut in. "Edwin is different because you have _feelings_ for him. Brett was a 'nice guy' at first, but he was just a substitute for what you really wanted, and that was Edwin."

"You think so?" Casey asked.

Ashley paused. "Well, there could be another reason why you're so reluctant to take the next step with him . . ."

Casey's heart jumped into her throat. "Wha . . . what do you mean?"

Ashley chuckled. "Case, you're forgetting, conveniently, I might add, about another person in this equation. Derek," she said, matter-of-factly.

Casey took a breath of relief. _Derek_? They hadn't had much contact since they worked on the French project together weeks ago. He was busy working and breaking up and making up with Sally, and she was busy with school, Ashley, Edwin, and looking for a job. Most often, they passed each other in the hallway (at school and at home), and rode together in silence on the way to and from school. No, Derek wasn't the problem. "Ash, I know you think that, but Derek isn't part of the picture anymore. I mean, I think my feelings for him have abated. I'm lucky if he says two words to me a week."

Ashley snorted. "Whatev, babe. So back to Ed's b-day tomorrow . . . I mean, how is that gonna work? Are you really going to have your first time be at home? Where someone might walk in or hear you?"

Casey swallowed around the lump in her throat. "Well, we talked about that . . . Ed wants to get a hotel room, but I just don't know. I mean, it's a school night, so we wouldn't be able to stay the whole night, and the thought of getting a room just so we can . . . well, it seems cheap to me. Know what I mean?"

"Yeah, I hear ya," Ashley said before pausing. Casey could feel the gears working over the phone line. "I've got an idea, but I don't know how you'll feel about it."

"What is it?"

"Well, if you want, you can come to my place, you know, for privacy. I'm gonna be working, and you have a key, so . . ." Ashley trailed off, feeling awkward about even suggesting it. She continued. "I'm not saying you have to sleep with him, but maybe you can use the privacy to talk about your fears, you know, make him understand that you're just not ready."

Casey thought about it. That could work. Her and Edwin could slip out after dinner and head to Ashley's for awhile to talk, or _whatever_.

"Yeah, I'll mention it to Ed. I'm sure he'll like the idea," Casey said, a smile appearing on her face. "Once again, you've come to the rescue with a brilliant idea. Have I told you lately how glad I am that we are best friends?"

Ashley's laugh warmed Casey's heart. "No, and frankly, I'm feeling a bit neglected here."

"Well, remind me to give you a big 'ole hug the next time I see you, OK?" Casey said.

"You got it, babe," Ashley said before ringing off.

Casey hung up the phone and opened her Chemistry book, intent on getting her assignment done. Just as she was getting into it, her phone rang. "Hello?"

"Case, it's Em."

"Hey Em. What's up?" Casey said while flipping through her book.

Casey heard her take a deep shuddering breath before she answered. "Well, I just told my parents."

Casey dropped her pencil and sat up. "Oh my god. How did it go?" Since Emily had confided in Casey about her pregnancy, they had many talks about it and what Emily should do. Just recently, Emily had decided to keep the baby, and she was going to tell her parents, then tell Sheldon. Both Casey and Emily were nervous that Emily's parents were going to try to force Emily to get an abortion.

"Well, it wasn't as bad as I thought, actually," Emily said in her ear. "My mom said she already knew, which kind of freaked me out."

"No way! How did she know?"

"Must be a mom-thing. She said she just had a feeling, but she hoped she was wrong."

Casey picked at a thread on her comforter. "Wow. What about your dad?"

"Well, he was a little . . . angrier. But my mom's calming him down and I hope he'll be more approachable later. Anyway, I told them that I had only slept with one person, and that it was Sheldon, and that I loved him and wanted to keep the baby."

"And?" Casey asked with baited breath.

"And they agree. They're not happy about it, per se, but they're going to help me so I can continue with school and graduate." Emily sniffled and Casey felt a pain in her chest.

"Em, I'm so proud of you. I don't know what I would do if I was in your situation," Casey said, her head turning at the sound of Derek's bedroom door slamming.

"Well, let's hope you never are, but I appreciate the sentiment. Now comes the hard part: telling Sheldon," Emily said, sighing heavily.

Casey couldn't help the laugh that came from her lips. "You know, I would think that telling your parents would be harder than telling Sheldon."

To Casey's surprise, Emily also laughed slightly. "Well, you would think, but you know Sheldon, he freaks out about everything. Can you imagine what he's going to do with _this_? And another thing: what if he's moved on? What if he has a girlfriend?" Casey could hear Emily getting upset again. "I just don't know what's going to happen."

Casey nodded, even though Emily couldn't see her. "Well, I'm here for you, you know that. Is there anything I can do?"

Emily sniffed again and said, "Yeah, you could wave a magic wand and make this all go away."

Casey frowned. "I wish I could, Em." They talked for a few more minutes before Casey hung up to continue her homework. She could hear Derek in the next room and he wasn't alone. Instinctively, Casey leaned forward to make out the conversation. After a moment, she mentally shook herself. _What do I care?_ Just then, she heard a burst of female laughter. _Sally_. She should have known. _They must be back together after their latest tiff_, Casey thought to herself. _Well, that's good. That means that Derek should be in a good mood_. With that, Casey pushed her thoughts away and concentrated on her homework.

In the next room, Derek was trying hard to keep Sally quiet. "Sal, you need to chill, OK? And we need to keep my door open, remember?"

Sally looked at him with her trademark pouty face. "God, Derek, you're almost 18 freakin years old! How lame is it that you can't shut your own goddamn door!"

Derek winced at her tone. "I don't make the rules, I just follow them." Sally laughed, and even Derek had to admit to himself the lameness of that statement.

"I'm sorry, Der, I'm just really happy that we made up," Sally said, climbing on the bed to settle on his lap. "We've been fighting way too much lately."

Derek had to agree with that. On one hand, he loved spending time with Sally. But on the other hand . . . she made him want to run for the hills. He was very confused most of the time. Sally's lips on his ear made Derek jump and he put his hands on her arms, pushing her back slightly. "Sal . . ." he started.

"Derek," Sally broke in. "The door is open, your parents are downstairs, and I'm behaving . . . sort of. Can you stop acting like a virginal nun and loosen up a bit? What happened to the wild Derek I used to know? I miss him," Sally huffed in his ear.

Derek refrained from rolling his eyes at her. "I don't know. All I know is that I'm on thin ice already with the 'rents and I don't want any more trouble. Can you understand that?"

Sally leaned back and ran her eyes over his face. Seeing his seriousness, she nodded mutely.

Derek immediately felt like an ass and pulled her to him. "Sal, I'm happy that we're back together too, but fooling around in a house full of _my family_ is not the smartest thing to do. If you want to have some quality time with me, then let's not get me in trouble and grounded, therefore preventing me from seeing you. Got it?"

"Yeah, I got it. But this sucks. I'm really horny," Sally said, still pouting.

That statement made Derek's dick jump, regardless of the rules. "Really?" he couldn't help asking.

Sally blinked at him. "Well, yeah. It's been forever, you know? And when we are together, we're usually bitching at each other. I just wanted a little lovin' from my man . . ."

_God, what was it about her that drove him nuts_? He couldn't remember as he pulled her to him and slammed his mouth into hers. He would work around the rules after all.

Casey finished her homework and wanted to talk to Edwin. She gathered up her books and put them in her backpack. Leaving her room, she was passing Derek's door when she heard something – a sigh – coming from behind his cracked door. She tiptoed closer and stopped just outside, listening. Leaning forward, she peered through the crack where the door hinges were.

Her back stiffened when she caught a glimpse – _just a glimpse_ – of them. Derek was sitting on the floor behind the door, his legs straight out in front of him. On his lap sat Sally, who was bare from the waist down and working herself on him. Casey zoned in on her face, fascinated for a moment, as she watched Sally move up and down, obviously trying to be silent by the way she was biting her lower lip. Her eyes were screwed shut and she was gripping Derek's shoulders tightly with her hands. Derek's hands were on Sally's waist, guiding her on him. He too, had his eyes closed and looked to be breathing heavily through his mouth. Casey watched for a bit more before she felt like, well, _a peeper_, and left, her thoughts unsettled.

When she appeared at Edwin's door, he was extremely glad to see her. Pulling her in, he wrapped his arms around her and buried his face into her neck. "God, I missed you so much, today," he said, his voice muffled by her hair.

Casey laughed slightly. "Edwin, we saw each other at school. It hasn't been that long."

He pulled back and guided her to his bed, where they both sat down. "I know that, but I still missed you," he said, his eyes moving down to the floor.

Casey sat forward and caught his attention, drawing his eyes back up to her. "Hey, I wanted to talk to you about tomorrow," she said.

Edwin's face lit up in a grin. "Yeah?"

Casey felt her stomach flip. "Uh, yeah. Well, I don't want to spoil anything, but the 'rents are keeping it simple and having dinner here. They invited a few of your friends to come over. I hope you're not disappointed." At his silence, she went on. "You know, cuz of the baby and everything . . . there's not much money . . ."

He shook his head and smiled. "No, I don't care about that. It's OK," he said, squeezing her hand.

She looked down at their joined hands and spoke again. "Um, I spoke to Ashley," at this, his face darkened and Casey paused, startled at his reaction. She recovered quickly and went on. "And she said we could use her place, you know, for privacy. If you want," she finished and examined his face.

Edwin sat silently for a moment, his eyes moving over Casey's face. She felt herself burning at the examination and instinctively focused her eyes elsewhere, waiting for him to speak. She was totally taken aback when he ambushed her, pushing her back on the bed and hugging her tightly. "God, Case. Really? She really said that? That would be so cool!"

Casey's eyes went to the ceiling and she involuntarily smiled at his childish reaction. However, she was having a hard time duplicating his enthusiasm. Instead, she felt her stomach roiling with nervousness. Edwin buried his face in her chest and she could feel his hot breath there. She put her hand in his hair and stroked his scalp, wanting to give him anything, anything that would let him know how she felt for him.

_How did she feel about him?_ She didn't know, and that thought scared the hell out of her. _I wish Ashley was here_, Casey found herself thinking, and she started at the thought. _Oh god_, _Do I have a crush on Ashley? Oh, hell no._ _This can't be happening_ . . .

**Review please!**


	45. Chapter 45

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but a tub that doesn't drain.

**Chapter Forty-Five: Happy Birthday . . . Or Not**

The next morning Casey was up early baking Edwin's cake. She was just pulling it out of the oven when Derek appeared, rubbing his eyes and grumbling about how mornings suck.

"Good morning, sunshine!" Casey said loudly.

Derek groaned and shot her a dirty look. Moving around her, he headed for the fridge and grabbed the milk. Casey set the cake on the burners and turned off the oven. She stood and watched as Derek filled a glass and drank greedily. "Be careful, Derek, you don't want to choke," she said, a smirk on her lips.

His eyes met hers over the rim of the glass, but he said nothing, continuing to gulp until it was empty. Turning, he rinsed out the glass and put it in the dishwasher. Casey shrank a little as he moved into her space and put his lips up to her ear. She braced herself and was shocked and disgusted when he let out a big burp. "God, Derek! You are so disgusting!" she said, rubbing her ear.

He laughed and went up the stairs. Casey looked after him and wondered what happened that they barely spoke anymore. She still missed him, but the feeling was slowly fading. Maybe her and Derek were never meant to be close; after all, their families merged when they were already teens and both were set in their ways. Derek was stubborn, and as much as Casey didn't want to admit it, she knew she too, was stubborn. Sighing, she cleaned up the mess she made and headed upstairs to shower.

After a rousing rendition of "Happy Birthday" at breakfast, the older kids headed off to school together. The Prince was making a knocking noise, and Casey looked sidelong at Derek while he clenched the steering wheel and swore to himself about the car being a "money pit."

"So, Edwin, do you have any special plans tonight?" Lizzie asked, trying in vain to keep the illusion of surprise.

Edwin laughed and turned to look at her. "You can stop now, Liz, I know about tonight. It's really not a surprise."

Lizzie pouted. "Oh man! Can't anyone keep a secret in this family?"

Casey felt a tingle down her back when, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Derek glance at her before turning his attention back to the road. She knew Edwin was staring at her also. She could almost feel the weight of his gaze on the back of her head. She fidgeted in her seat and wished Derek would drive faster.

A few minutes later, Casey practically jumped out of the car and ran for the doors. "Where's the fire, Space?" Derek's voice called behind her.

She ignored him and headed inside, where she caught sight of Emily hovering around her locker. "Hey Em," she gasped when she reached her.

"Hey Case, what's up with you? Did you jog to school?" Emily asked, a smile on her face.

"No, I was just running to get away from Derek, you know how it is."

Emily smirked. "No, I don't. Cuz if it was me, I wouldn't be running _from_ him."

Casey rolled her eyes. "Em, stop! You know how much it bugged me when you were crushing on Derek so much."

"Yeah, I know. I just couldn't resist," Emily said as they walked to class.

* * *

The day dragged by and Casey didn't know whether to be glad or not. On one hand, she wanted the time to go slow so she didn't have to confront Edwin about her fears. On the other hand, she just wanted the day to be over. _This is not the way to feel when you're considering having sex with your boyfriend for the first time!_ Casey was also struggling with her feelings for Ashley, but was trying to push them to the back of her mind. _Maybe if I ignore them, they'll go away._ She knew she was deluding herself, but that's what she was good at.

Her attention was caught when she spotted Amy and Max walking down the hall toward her. They were obviously arguing from the looks of their body language. Max had his "beleaguered boyfriend" face on that Casey recognized from when they were together and would fight, and Amy was next to him, her hands gesturing angrily. Casey watched as they passed and Max's eyes met hers, a small sad smile on his lips. Casey schooled her face into a blank mask and turned back to her locker. She would never understand what the attraction was between Max and Amy. It was obvious that Amy had some sort of problem; either she was anorexic, using drugs, or maybe both. She wondered if Max knew about Amy's tendency to sleep with other men. '_Oh well.'_ It wasn't her problem. She slammed her locker and headed to class.

* * *

On the ride home from school, Casey could practically feel the excitement radiating from Edwin. He rode silently in the back, but his knee was jumping. She could feel it bumping against the back of her seat. "Ed, stop. You're driving me nuts," she said snappishly.

He did. "So-rry. What's your problem?" he asked moodily. This was not how he expected his girlfriend to treat him on his birthday. He felt a sense of unsettledness in his gut but pushed it away. Tonight was going to be the best night of his life, he just knew it.

"Well, your knee butting against my seat was just bugging me is all," she answered softly.

Next to her, Derek tried to ignore the lover's quarrel, but couldn't help but be secretly pleased that there seemed to be trouble in paradise. He knew that Casey and Edwin getting involved wasn't a good idea. It was bound to end badly sooner or later.

"Casey, do you have a date to the Homecoming Dance?" Lizzie's voice sounded from beside Edwin.

Casey turned in her seat to face her sister. "Uh, no. Not yet. Are you going with Jamie?" she asked, trying to deflect the attention away from herself.

Lizzie smiled dreamily. "Yeah, he asked me today. I'm so excited! It's my first high school dance!" she paused and snapped her gaze back to Casey. "Hey, would you go dress shopping with me soon? I could really use your input."

Casey smiled. "Sure, I can do that. It'll be fun. We'll make an afternoon out of it, what do you say?"

Lizzie beamed. "OK! Just let me know when it works for you."

Casey turned back around, but not before shooting back, "Will do, sis."

* * *

Dinner was a raucous affair, with the family, plus Sally, Sam, Ralph, Teddy and Bryan, a friend of Edwin's from the track team, all crowded around the table in the dining room. They were chowing down on chicken wings and cole slaw (a compromise from the steak Marti wanted), and were trying to keep from spitting their food all over the table in laughter as they listened to Sam and Ralph tell a story about their double-date last weekend. "So, anyway, this chick was stacked . . ." Ralph was saying, but was stopped short by George, who made a "clearing my throat" sound that indicated young ears, namely Marti, who was no fool and rolled her eyes at her dad.

"Dad, it's OK. I'm not a baby, you know," she said, straightening in her seat trying to appear taller.

"I know that, honey, but that still doesn't mean I want you hearing this," George said with an affectionate smile on his face.

"You can't have brothers like Edwin and Derek and not hear a few things," she said looking pointedly at Derek, who flushed and hung his head.

For some reason, this made the entire table crack up and Edwin beamed as he glanced around at the friends and family who meant so much to him. He couldn't ask for anything more. His eyes fell on Casey and he thought to himself, '_Well I __could__ ask for more, but hopefully my wish will come true tonight.'_

Sensing his eyes on her, Casey turned and looked at him, a small smile on her face. Her attention didn't stay long however, and Edwin knew it was because of everyone else around. She was still super-sensitive to anyone finding out about them, and not for the first time did Edwin wish they were older so they could live their own life – together – and away from judging eyes. After a moment of sulking, he snapped himself out of it and rejoined the conversation, which was now centered around Sally and her ribbing of Derek, who didn't look very happy about it. Edwin smiled to himself. He didn't feel as threatened by Derek as he once did, whether it was because of Sally or the fact that he knew that Derek and Casey didn't have much contact anymore, which was more than OK with him. It's not like he spied on them or anything, _not really_, but there was a time when he was definitely more aware of what they were doing than he was now. He grabbed another chicken wing and took a bite out of it. He couldn't wait to dig into the cake that Casey made for him. It was his favorite – yellow cake with chocolate frosting. Not very exciting, he knew, but he couldn't help what he liked. And he knew Casey made the best cakes-from-a-box that he had ever had.

"Edwin, would you like your present now?" His father's voice fixed his attention.

"Uh, yeah, that would be great," he said with a smile on his face. Unlike his brother, Edwin was a little more shy when everyone's attention was on him. He only wanted one person's attention – and that person was Casey.

"Great, I'll go get it," George said, getting up from the table and heading into the kitchen. Edwin looked at Nora, who seemed to be bouncing up and down in her chair, from excitement, he assumed, or maybe she just had to pee really bad. Her stomach was pretty big now, so who knew?

"OK, here it is," George said, handing over an envelope, which looked like nothing more than a birthday card.

Edwin raised an eyebrow, but opened it and found – a birthday card. He smiled and read it aloud, then opened the card, where a key fell out onto his lap. He picked it up and examined it. "What's this? Did you get me a Post Office box or something?" he asked, only half-kidding.

Everyone laughed, and George said, "No son, it's not a PO box."

Edwin tried again. "A locker at the bus station?"

"Nope," his father said, barely able to control himself.

"OK, I give up. Tell me," Edwin said, putting the key down on the table in front of him.

"Oh, come on, stop acting like you don't know . . ." Derek said impatiently before being cut off by George.

"Derek, shut it. This is your brother's day," he said before signaling with his hand for Edwin to follow him to the window. "Look."

Edwin shrugged and went to stand beside his father at the side window, which overlooked the driveway. He spied George and Nora's car, followed by the Prince, followed by another car. His heart leapt at the thought. _No way, they wouldn't . . . would they?_ "Uh, Dad, is that a car?" he asked dumbly, making Marti snort behind him.

"Yeah, son. It's a car. _Your_ car," George said softly in his ear, making Edwin turn to look at him. He looked totally serious and Edwin impulsively hugged him, making Nora tear up. Everyone at the table clapped and at that moment, he didn't care how stupid he looked hugging his dad; he was too happy to care.

Releasing his hold on George, Edwin moved back. "I, I don't know what to say. I thought we couldn't afford anything right now."

George smiled and shook his head. "Well, it's not much, son. It runs, but it needs work. I thought it could be a project for you and your brother to work on," George said, shooting his eyes to Derek who shrugged nonchalantly. Edwin knew Derek was trying to come off as uncaring, but he could see through his brother's act and knew by the smirk on his lips that Derek was pleased with Edwin's reaction. Edwin fought the urge to hug his brother, as that would just embarrass him even more. He vowed to thank him later.

"Wow, thank you so much Dad," he turned and met Nora's eyes, "you too, mom." Nora said nothing, but held her arms out and Edwin went to her and hugged her tight, thanking God that his father met someone like her.

"Well, are you going to go look at it?" Marti asked.

Edwin moved to his spot at the table and grabbed the key. "Hell yeah!" he said before thinking, quickly looking to his parents for their reaction. When they did nothing, he smiled and headed for the door. "I'm gonna take it for a spin, anyone want to come with?" he called behind him.

"Dude, everyone knows that when you get your first car, you have to take the ceremonial first drive by yourself. It's a rite of passage to becoming a man, even though we all know that you have a long way to go before that happens," Derek said snarkily.

Edwin was too happy to be pissed at that comment, and instead laughed. "OK. I'll be back in a bit," he said before heading out, leaving everyone to discuss his reaction and how happy they were for him.

Casey didn't say much, instead thinking of how upset she was when she first found out that George and Nora were buying Edwin a car. Why should he get his own vehicle when _she_ had to share with Derek? _"It isn't fair!"_ She remembered saying to her mother, who shrugged and said that they thought Edwin needed his own ride to get back and forth to all the meets and practices he had. They were finding it harder and harder to chauffer him around town, and with the baby coming, they were looking forward to it even less. Casey understood, she supposed, but she still didn't like it. However, as time passed, she changed her position on the subject, thinking that she could probably charm Edwin into letting her use his car if she really needed it.

A while later, after everyone had gone home, Casey was in her room, half-trying to concentrate on her homework and half-dreading the moment when she knew Edwin would be knocking on her door. The knock came sooner than expected, and she jumped. Shakily, she rose from the bed and went to the door, opening it to find not Edwin, but Derek. "Oh hey, I thought you were Edwin," Casey blurted out.

Derek's lip curled sardonically. "Well, I would say that I get that a lot, but really, I don't."

They looked at each other for a moment before Derek said, "Can I come in?"

Casey opened her door wider and motioned for him to enter. She closed it behind him and sat down on her bed. For some reason, her legs were shaking. "So, what's up?" she asked, not quite meeting his eyes.

Derek leaned against her desk and looked at her. "You look nervous," he commented off-handedly.

Casey twisted her hands together but didn't look at him. "Why do you say that?"

"I know you," he answered.

Casey forced herself to look at him. He was watching her with an expression on his face – it almost looked sympathetic. "Why are you here?" she asked softly.

Derek straightened up and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Um, well, I just wanted to tell you that you don't have to go through with it – if you don't want to."

His statement made her freeze. '_What was he talking about? How could he possibly know about her and Edwin's plans?'_ She caught her breath and asked, "What are you referring to?"

Derek huffed out a breath and started to pace in front of her. "Case, I know, OK? Edwin hasn't exactly been quiet about it."

This made Casey whip her head up, a feeling of anger bubbling inside her. '_What the hell?_ _Has Edwin been bragging to his brother about how he was planning on nailing his girlfriend on his 16__th__ birthday?'_ Derek saw this and as much as he twistedly wanted Edwin and Casey to not get along, he couldn't let her think that Edwin had been bragging. Even _he_ wasn't that low. "Case, chill. He only told _me_. He wanted advice," Derek ended softly, his eyes heavy on hers.

Casey let out a small breath. "Advice?" She was afraid to ask.

Derek snorted. "Yeah, apparently he doesn't think he'll be able to satisfy you or something." '_Damn, I didn't mean for it to come out like that.'_

"Oh," Casey said softly, not looking at him anymore.

"So . . ." Derek said awkwardly. "That's all I wanted to say." He moved to leave and Casey jumped up after him.

"Wait!" she cried out, making him stop and slowly turn toward her, his face expectant.

"Why do you care?" she asked, her eyes pinning his.

Derek was silent for a moment. Why _did_ he care? He didn't know, or maybe he did but just didn't want to acknowledge it. All he knew was he couldn't let the night pass by without telling Casey that. He dug deep for a smart-ass retort but came up empty. For once he decided to play it straight. "Because I care, that's all," he said before leaving. Casey stood there for awhile before flopping back on her bed and covering her eyes with her hands. Could her life get any more complicated?

* * *

She was sitting still as a statue at the end of her bed when Edwin came for her. Casey rose and opened the door to let him in. He immediately drew her into his arms and breathed deeply. "Mmmm, I never get tired of the way you smell," he said hugging her tightly.

She smiled and hugged him back but her fears remained. Moving back Edwin said, "This couldn't have worked out any better. I had no idea that we would have a car to use! I thought you would have to sweet-talk Derek into letting you use the Prince," he said, his eyes bright.

Casey looked at him and her heart ached. How could she back out now? "Yeah, that is nice," she murmured softly.

A somber look came over Edwin's face. "Case, what's wrong?"

She tried to make her expression blank. "What? Oh, nothing," she said turning away to grab her bag. Whatever did or didn't happen, she would be prepared for anything.

Edwin's hand on her shoulder made her turn back to face him. "Are you nervous?" he asked softly, his eyes earnest.

The look on his face and the tone of his voice made Casey want to sob right then and there, but she choked it down. "Yeah, I guess I am. I'm sorry."

"Oh Case," he said, putting his arms around her and rubbing her back. "God, I'm nervous too. I figure we'll get through it together, you know, teach each other things," he said into her hair.

Casey wanted to believe that everything would be all right, but she couldn't shake the uneasiness she felt about the whole thing. If she felt about him they way he feels about her, it would be different, she knew. And she didn't know if she could push that aside and just _go for it_.

Edwin moved back and ran a hand through his hair, which kept falling into his eyes. "Well," he said awkwardly. "Here's the plan: you're gonna tell Nora and dad that you're visiting Ashley and I'm giving you a ride on my way to a friend's house to work on a project for school. How's that sound?"

Casey nodded her head. It could work. "OK," he continued, "are you ready?" he asked, his eyes full of many meanings.

"Yes, I'm ready," she answered, squeezing his hand before following him out of her bedroom. On the way downstairs, they encountered Derek, who moved aside to let them by, his eyes heavy on Casey as they passed. She forced herself to keep moving and didn't look back.

After clearing it with the 'rents, they rode in silence to Ashley's apartment. Casey felt vaguely like she was going to throw up and tried to calm herself down, taking deep breaths, but trying to be discreet about it. She didn't want Edwin to know how much she was dreading this. '_Dreading? Really?'_ When they arrived, he parked his car in Ashley's spot and they exited, Edwin coming around to take Casey's bag and throw his arm around her. Casey felt like she was being escorted to her execution. She chanced a glance at Edwin, who looked like he had just won the lottery, but was trying to play it cool, no doubt for her sake.

Casey got out the key to Ashley's apartment and shakily opened the door. She gasped when she saw the place. Ashley had set the table with two dinner settings. The dishes looked new and were a deep red color. There was also a white tablecloth on the table, along with a centerpiece comprised of flowers and unlit candles. A box of matches lay on the table, along with a note, which Casey moved forward to read. She opened it and shifted away from Edwin to peruse it privately will he marveled at their surroundings.

_Case – I took the liberty of dressing up the joint for you. I know you already had dinner, but there is fresh fruit, whipped cream and chocolate in the fridge. Use with caution, I don't want ants! No matter what happens, you deserve a special night. Love, Ash. P.S. If anything happens, I want __all__ the details tomorrow! _

Casey smiled. '_That girl!'_ No one else could put a smile on her face like Ashley. She folded the note up and turned to Edwin, who was standing by the door awkwardly scratching the back of his neck and shifting from one foot to the other. Casey felt a rush of affection for him and moved forward, taking his hand. "Come here," she said softly, pulling him in the direction of the couch. They sat down and Casey turned to face him, reaching out to smooth a wayward lock of his hair away from his face. Edwin closed his eyes at her touch and sighed contentedly.

They said nothing for a few moments, just gazing at each other. Casey's heart was racing and she was sure she was going to pass out. Long gone was the girl of a few months ago who made out with a stranger _and_ her step-brother in the same night. Now she was just trying not to look like a baby and chicken out.

After a beat Edwin spoke, "Case?"

She reached forward and took his hand, their fingers twining together. "Yes?"

"I want you to know that these past few months have been the best of my life. Never in my wildest dreams did I think you would ever return my feelings," he paused to take a deep breath, then continued, "You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. I could spend months, no _years_, looking at you." At this, Casey ducked her head, blushing hotly.

Edwin moved his other hand under her chin and gently lifted her head. "I mean it. But that's only the beginning. The real beauty is inside," he said, pointing to her heart. "You are the most caring, sensitive, smart, funny . . . well, there aren't enough words to describe what I feel for you." He leaned forward and touched his lips to hers gently before moving back again. "I love you Casey, and I want to show you. I want to be with you," he finished, his hand moving to caress her cheek.

_'How can someone so young be so eloquent?'_ She thought to herself as her eyes involuntarily closed at the feel of his fingers on her skin. The touch of Edwin's lips on hers made her eyes snap open and she froze for a moment. He felt her stiffen and moved back, a quizzical look in his eyes. It passed quickly and he rose and moved to the kitchen, opening the refrigerator and looking around. Curious, Casey got up and went to stand beside him. "What are you looking for?"

"Something to drink. I'm thirsty," he said, his eyes scanning the contents of the fridge. "Aha! Just what I was looking for," he said, grabbing a couple of wine coolers and pulling them out. "Thirsty?" he asked, offering her one.

Casey looked at the bottle for a moment before nodding and taking it from him. Those were actually _her_ bottles anyway; Ashley knew that she liked them and bought them for when Casey would come hang out.

They opened their wine coolers and sat back down on the couch, but not before Edwin took the matches and lit the candles that were scattered around the apartment. He turned off the lights (except for the one above the kitchen sink) and went to sit next to Casey, who was trying to calm her nerves by drinking as much as she could as quickly as she could. "Whoa, you might want to slow down on that, otherwise you'll tip off George and Nora that something else went on than just you hanging with Ash," Edwin said.

Casey nodded mutely and put the bottle down on the end table next to her. Edwin did the same and moved closer to her until they were nose to nose. Looking deep into her eyes, he closed the distance and began to kiss her softly, his lips moving gently against hers. Casey closed her eyes at the sensation and tried to keep her breathing even. She and Edwin had made out hundreds of times, but this time was different. They both knew it. She could practically feel Edwin's racing heartbeat against her own, and it comforted her a bit to know that he was as nervous as she was. '_But was he nervous for the same reasons?'_ Well, she knew the answer to that, but the thoughts flew out the window when she felt Edwin's tongue at her lips, gently probing for entrance. Despite being torn, her body still responded to his touch and a small moan left her mouth. Edwin took that as permission to continue and deepened the kiss, his tongue moving against hers, almost in a rhythm. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around him and scooted closer, moving him back against the couch and situating herself on his lap. She could feel his erection against her center and a rush of wetness flooded her panties. Her mind idly wandered as she kissed Edwin and she thought of the lingerie set she was wearing – one of the purchases she had made so many months ago. She wondered if he would like it. Casey could feel Edwin's hands moving over her back, down to her ass, where he squeezed and then moved to her hips to rock his body into her. She pulled away from his kiss to gasp for breath and buried her face into his shoulder, filling her senses with his smell. "God, Case, I want you so bad," he murmured, his tongue snaking out to caress the shell of her ear.

She groaned at the contact, but wanted to slow things down a bit. "Ed, wait."

At the sound of her voice, he leaned back against the couch, his eyes hooded with desire, his skin flushed from their kissing. "What?"

"Um, I want to turn on some music or something, it's too quiet in here," she said.

His eyes cleared and he straightened up a bit. "Uh, OK. Whatever you want."

She smiled and moved off his lap, going to the stereo and turning it on. Heavy metal blasted from the speakers, and she quickly turned it down, giving Edwin a sheepish look. "Oops," she said before turning back and looking through Ashley's CD collection, which numbered in the hundreds. '_This could take awhile_,' Casey thought to herself.

A few moments later, she felt Edwin crouch down on the floor next to her. "Case, she has tons of CDs, you're not going to look through each and every one, are you?"

Casey whipped her head around to look at him, suddenly irritated. "Why? Are you in a hurry or something?" she blurted out before she could stop herself.

He had the decency to look guilty, but didn't back down. "I'm just thinking we have to be home in like an hour and a half, that's all."

Casey hadn't forgotten their curfew. She knew exactly when they had to be home. It was the minutes leading up to that which made her . . . antsy. "No, I'm not going to look at each and every one, I just want to find something . . . perfect," she said, her eyes pleading with him to understand.

The look on his face changed and she knew that he _did_ understand. "I'm sorry, baby, I guess I'm being a bit of an ass. Forgive me?" he asked, pulling out his pouty face, which always made her melt.

"Oh, alright," she said, leaning forward to peck him on the lips. "Hey, Ash said there's fruit and stuff in the fridge. Why don't you grab it and bring it over? We could feed each other," she said, trying to put him and herself at ease. '_I can do this.'_

He smiled and rose. "OK, sounds good," he said before heading into the kitchen. Casey grinned and returned to sifting through the CDs, looking for the perfect music to make love to.

* * *

A while later, they were back in the car on the way home. Edwin lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it gently, bringing a smile to her face. "Thank you for tonight," he said softly, "I had a great time."

She smiled back and answered. "I did too."

They drove for awhile until Ed pulled up in front of the house. He turned off the engine and turned to face Casey. "I love you, Case," he said sincerely.

"I love you too," she answered, because after all this time, she realized, she _did_.

**I know, you hate me now, right? I'm sorry, I just had to do it. Could you find it in your hearts to review anyway? **


	46. Chapter 46

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but a hairdryer that's about to die.

**Chapter Forty-Six: The Confrontation**

Edwin and Casey walked in the front door to find the living room empty. Casey was a bit surprised, and she had to admit to herself, disappointed. She half-expected Derek to be waiting up for them. She decided not to dwell on that; instead shrugging out of her jacket and toeing off her shoes. Edwin did the same and then looked around quickly before pulling Casey into his arms. "Edwin, be careful! Someone could catch us!" Casey whispered into his shoulder.

He chuckled before moving away. "I know, I just couldn't resist," he said with a twinkle in his eye.

Casey smiled and reached forward to squeeze his hand before moving to go upstairs. Edwin followed her. "I have to finish some homework so I'm gonna say goodnight." Casey said softly as they both ascended the stairs.

They stopped in front of her door. Casey noted out of the corner of her eye that Derek's door was closed and no sound was coming from inside. She glanced at her watch. It was only 10 p.m. and it would be weird for Derek to be asleep already . . .

"So, I wanted to thank you again for tonight, Case," Edwin was whispering, aware of the close proximity of the others' bedrooms.

"You're welcome, Ed. I had a great time, too," Casey whispered back before leaning forward to give him a peck on the lips. "Goodnight," she said, entering her room and closing the door softly behind her, leaving Edwin there to stare at the closed door with a goofy smile on his face. A few moments later, he turned and headed upstairs.

On the other side of his door, Derek strained to hear what was being said. He knew that Edwin and Casey were home. He had been waiting for them to arrive, and when he saw the headlights of Edwin's "new" car, he raced up the stairs, not wanting to be seen. He witnessed their embrace in the foyer, and looked for any sign that they had slept together. He knew he was torturing himself – he just couldn't help it. He snuck into his room just before they reached the top of the landing. Now, he cracked his door open after hearing Edwin's huge feet bounding up the stairs to the attic. Derek had an intense urge to go next door and confront Casey. But what would he say? He warred with himself for a good half hour before deciding not to. He would find out sooner or later what happened. He didn't know how, exactly, he just knew he would.

Meanwhile, Casey lay on her bed, her homework forgotten as she replayed the events of the night. Things had gone better than she expected. She sighed deeply and threw her arms over her head, stretching luxuriously. _'I'm so tired,'_ she thought before drifting off.

The next morning at breakfast, things were . . . weird, to say the least. George and Nora were acting normal - well, normal for them – racing around trying to get everything they needed before heading off to work. Marti was her usual self – today dressed in all red and holding a conversation with herself about the problems of global warming. Lizzie was smiling, no doubt excited to see Jamie at school, while Edwin whistled as he poured himself a bowl of cereal, not even complaining when Derek stole the milk from him. Casey was quiet, but seemed relaxed, and Derek was just . . . tense. He surveyed the atmosphere around him and felt the urgent need to scream at the top of his lungs. _'Doesn't anyone see what's going on around here? Is everyone that stupid?' _He refrained, however, and settled for plopping on the stool next to Casey and chomping on his cereal grumpily while listening to Casey and Lizzie discuss dress fashions. _'Kill me now,'_ he thought to himself as he shoveled another spoonful into his mouth. He caught Edwin's eye and scowled when his brother flashed him a big grin. At this, Edwin's smile faltered, but quickly returned full force, no doubt reveling in the fact that he finally bagged his dream girl. Derek snorted to himself at the thought. _'Casey's too much woman for him. He wouldn't know what to do even if he had a manual with pictures.'_ Derek laughed out loud and almost choked on the cereal he was eating. Everyone at the table froze and stared at him. After a few minutes, Derek noticed the silence. "What?" he asked.

"What's so funny, Smerek?" Marti asked, her head cocked to the side quizzically.

Derek let his eyes roam around the table at everyone, which was just the kids, since Nora and George had just left for work. "Uh, nothing. I was thinking of something Ralph said the other day . . ." he said before lowering his head to focus on his bowl. He hoped that would be the end of it.

Edwin laughed. "Ralph's a trip. He cracks me up," he said happily, making Derek want to punch the smile off his face.

"Yeah, that Ralph is a _hoot_," Derek answered sarcastically. Edwin quirked his brow but said nothing, instead shooting adoring glances at Casey, who looked like she was trying to get him to stop.

Derek couldn't take it anymore and abruptly stood, knocking his stool over in the process. Not bothering to pick it up, he strode to the sink and threw his bowl in, hearing it break against the dishes already there. Silently, he headed up the stairs and into his room, slamming the door behind him.

Everyone sat in stunned silence, wondering what that was about. Edwin's paranoia surfaced, and he wondered if Derek had somehow guessed that last night was _the_ night. Casey, too, was fearful and her stomach lurched at the prospect of Derek being upset. _'Why would he care?'_ she asked herself for the thousandth time. She mentally went through the conversation she and Derek had before she left with Edwin last night. She knew on some level that Derek cared for her. She just didn't know to what extent and in what way. They had shared a lot in the years she had been there, from hating each other to tolerating each other to becoming friends, then becoming something else . . . she felt her face burn as she remembered that night, the memories of which flooded into her mind from a place she usually kept bottled up. _The feel of his hands on her, the way he looked when he moved in to kiss her, the touch of his lips on hers_ . . . she had to mentally shake herself. _'What the hell is wrong with me?'_ she thought irritably as she stood and moved to the sink, rinsing her bowl out before putting it in the dishwasher. She caught sight of the bowl that Derek had thrown in the sink and started picking up the pieces and tossing them in the trash. When she was satisfied that she had gotten everything, she wordlessly headed upstairs, leaving Marti, Edwin and Lizzie to look at each other in silence.

Casey reached Derek's bedroom door and knocked. "Derek, it's me. Can I come in?" Silence. "Derek, I know you're in there. You slammed your door so hard the windows shook."

Just then, the door whipped open and Derek stood in front of her with an angry look on his face. "What? I'm trying to get ready for school here."

Casey moved her eyes down his body. He was wearing jeans and a white t-shirt with a blue Henley over it. He looked all set to her. "Funny, you look ready, meaning you have a minute to talk," she said, pushing past him into his room.

Derek stood there and watched her move around him with an incredulous look on his face. '_Was there no end to this girl's nerve?'_ He shut his door and turned to face Casey, who had taken a seat at his desk. "What do you want, Space Cadet?"

Casey's lips curled at the name. "What was that?"

Derek's brows knitted in confusion. "What was _what_?"

Casey sighed dramatically as if she were dealing with a child. "Downstairs. The little temper tantrum."

Derek crossed his arms and stared hard at her. "Nothing. It was nothing."

Casey didn't look convinced. "Really? Cuz I think it has something to do with last night." A bold statement, she knew, but she was almost positive the two were connected.

Derek struggled to keep his face blank. "What about last night?"

Casey snorted and got up, moving toward Derek before stopping a few feet in front of him. "Last. Night," she said, her eyes intense on his, "You know, me and Edwin? Your little visit and show of concern?"

This was too much. Derek didn't want to deal with this right now. He was starting to feel like a cornered animal and wanted nothing more than to escape. "Case, I don't have time for this. We're gonna be late if you don't stop yakking. You wouldn't want that, would you?" he said tauntingly.

Casey looked at her watch. "We still have a few minutes. I want to know, Derek. What's up with you?"

"There's nothing 'up with me'. God, why are you so nosy?" he said, his voice rising with frustration.

Casey knew she was getting close. She could feel it, and more importantly, she could see it. The way Derek fidgeted, his eyes darting around at everything but her, the way his skin was flushed – either from lying or something else that Casey wasn't sure she wanted to think about. "Come on, Derek. You know you can tell me anything. We're still friends, right? Just because we haven't been hanging out as much . . ."

Derek interrupted her with a hand in the air. "We're not friends, Case. We're _family_. Nothing more. Stop trying to be so buddy-buddy with me. I can't stand it anymore."

His words cut Casey deep, but she refused to show it. "Where is all this coming from? You've been acting weird for months, Derek. Everybody's noticed it. Even George and Mom are started to see it."

Derek barked out a laugh. "Yeah, right. The day they notice anything outside of themselves and the baby is the day I win the lottery and move to Hawaii."

Casey really couldn't argue with that. Her mom and George _were_ pretty wrapped up in each other, but she knew that they both loved the kids dearly. "That's not fair, Derek. I think they deserve some happiness in their life after everything they've been through with their other marriages. I think you're being selfish, that's what I think," she said, pointing her finger at him.

Derek took in Casey's self-righteous expression and the way she was pointing at him, her body leaning toward his. Before he knew it, he was in her face, his body pressed against hers. "_I'm_ selfish? Me? Oh my fucking god, Case. That's the funniest thing I've ever heard."

Casey instinctively moved back and found that she was pinned between the desk and Derek's body. He was so close she had to lean her head back to look him in the face. What she saw in his eyes scared, but also enflamed her. She swallowed at her reaction and tried to be calm. "Derek, calm down . . ."

"Calm down?" he said loudly, his hands coming up to squeeze her arms. "Stop telling me what to do! Just stop . . ." he trailed off.

Casey said nothing for a moment, and he didn't move away; instead he stood before her breathing hard, his fingers no doubt making marks on her arms. She tried another tact. "Derek, please. Talk to me. I know there's something on your mind, and if you confide in someone, I know you'll feel better."

Derek's eyes pinned hers but he said nothing. They stood in silence, just looking at each other. Casey could see the emotions swirling in his eyes and wanted nothing more than to comfort him. Instinctively, she raised her arms and wrapped them around his waist, moving her body fully into his and turning her head to rest on his shoulder. She squeezed him gently when he didn't reciprocate, his hands still on her arms, though now just resting on them. "Derek . . ." she whispered, but stopped when she felt his hand moving in her hair. Casey gasped when he grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled, making her head move back. "Derek, what . . .?" she started to ask, before her voice was cut off by his lips covering hers.

**Review please!**


	47. Chapter 47

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but a holey garden hose.

**Note: Thank you **_**so**_** much for all the reviews! It warms my heart to know that people are enjoying my story. I'm sorry to make you wait, but I rewrote this about a hundred times, wanting it to be perfect. Hope you like. **

**Chapter Forty-Seven: Out of Control**

Casey was stunned as Derek's lips moved over hers. _'What the . . .?' _she thought, but made no move to stop him. Derek either didn't notice or didn't care that she wasn't responding. He took his time exploring her mouth, nibbling on her lips, his tongue caressing them, trying to gain entrance. A few seconds later, though, he seemed to realize what he was doing and pushed away from her, eyes wide and breathing heavily. They stared at each other for a moment, the air between them crackling with electricity. _'Oh hell,'_ Casey thought before launching herself at Derek, the force of which caused them to fall back onto his bed. She smashed her lips against his, causing Derek to groan against her mouth.

They were half on the bed and half off, and Casey was vaguely aware of Derek underneath her, his hands on her ass, moving them back toward the headboard. Her hands were in his hair, running through it and tugging, making him pant against her. "Casey . . ." she heard Derek moan, and the sound of his voice made her shudder with delight.

She didn't know how long they were lost in each other, but the sound of knocking on the door made them jump apart, their mouths separating with an audible "pop!". "Derek, Ed and I are taking off in his car. See you guys at school! Oh, and let Casey know when you see her, 'kay?" Lizzie's said through the door before they heard the sound of footsteps bounding down the stairs.

Derek and Casey said nothing for a minute, gaping at each other, both breathing hard. Casey slowly touched her lips with her fingers, her eyes wide. Derek wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, his eyes wild. "Oh my god, oh my god," Casey said softly. She caught a glimpse of herself in Derek's mirror. Her hair was disheveled, her skin was flushed and her lips looked thoroughly ravaged. It was obvious what she had just been doing. She turned her eyes back to Derek, who looked like he was still trying to get himself under control.

His eyes met hers. "I'll be in the car," he glanced at her quickly before grabbing his backpack and heading out the door.

"Derek!" Casey cried, causing him to stop. He turned and looked at her, his expression guarded.

Suddenly, her mouth was dry and her mind was blank. "Nevermind," she said, knowing now was not the time to discuss what had just happened.

Silently, he turned and left the room.

Casey stood there for what seemed like forever, but was probably only just a few minutes, before she quickly left his room and ran into her own, grabbing her backpack and purse. Rounding the corner of the house, she saw Derek in the Prince waiting for her. He sat in the driver's seat, his eyes straight ahead. Casey opened the passenger side door and slid in, barely getting it closed before Derek put the car into gear and took off.

The ride to school was silent and Casey didn't dare turn her head to look at Derek. Upon arriving, Casey hopped out of the car and headed inside quickly, barely making it to her first class. She plopped down at her desk and took a deep breath, wondering how she was going to get through the day with all that she had on her mind.

Emily caught up with her on the way to third period. "Casey, I haven't seen you all morning! What's up?" she asked trying to keep up with Casey's long strides.

Casey threw a glance at her but didn't slow down. "Nothing, Em. I was just running late this morning and I haven't slowed down since."

Emily nodded. She was hoping to get a few minutes sometime soon to sit down and tell Casey what's been happening with her. She could tell, though, that Casey had something on her mind, and Emily didn't want to add to that with _her_ news. She decided to wait until another time to confide in her best friend.

* * *

Casey sat in French class, body tense, her ears barely hearing the teacher. Instead, she was trying not to be obvious in her examination of Derek, who was sitting a few rows over. Uncharacteristically, he seemed to actually be paying attention to the teacher – taking notes and not talking to those around him. Casey desperately wanted to take Derek aside somewhere and grill him about what had happened that morning, but she didn't know when she would be able to do that. Her body was still buzzing from his kisses, and she swore she could still feel his hands on her. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat and tried not to think about it too much. The last thing she needed was to be walking around at school all day turned on. _'Talk about distracting!'_ she thought, her lip curling.

"Casey, is there something you want to share with the class?" Mrs. Fonteneau's voice rang loudly, making Casey snap her head up.

She looked around to find everyone's eyes on her, and immediately felt a flush creep up her neck. "I'm sorry, what?"

Her teacher cocked an eyebrow and crossed her arms. "I asked you a question about last night's assignment. Did you complete it?"

Casey looked down at her desk. She knew she was screwed. Instead of finishing her homework, she had fallen asleep. "Um, Mrs. Fonteneau, I didn't finish my assignment . . ."

She was cut off by her teacher. "Ms. McDonald," she said frostily, "You'll be getting a zero for not having your homework completed on time. I suggest that you come back from whatever fantasy you were having and pay attention."

The snickers from her classmates made Casey cringe even more, and she shot a look at Derek, who immediately looked away. Casey sighed. "Yes, Mrs. Fonteneau."

* * *

The day didn't get much better. It seemed that "Klutzilla" was back, with Casey bumping into at least 10 people, knocking one over, tripping over her feet at lunch, and almost slamming her hand in her locker. She was in between classes when Edwin caught up to her in the afternoon. "Hey, Case," he said, falling into step with her.

Casey glanced at him before looking forward again. Knowing her, she would run face first into the lockers if she wasn't careful. "Hey Ed," she said shortly.

Edwin hesitated a bit before speaking. "Is everything OK?"

Casey continued to negotiate her way around people in the hall. "I'm fine. Tired is all."

Edwin nodded but said nothing. A thought came into his mind and he smirked. "Did I wear you out last night?"

Casey looked around quickly before shooting him a look. "Ed, keep it down, OK? My life's complicated enough right now without everyone finding out about us."

_'Well, that wasn't the reaction I was hoping for'_. He looked appropriately chastened. "Sorry, Case. I was just trying to make you smile. You look stressed."

"Well, I _am_ stressed. I didn't finish my French homework, so I got a zero on that, plus, it seems that Klutzilla is back, and I don't know what to do about it!" Casey huffed.

Edwin wanted to grab Casey and kiss her until she was boneless in his arms, but he knew that if he did that, she would probably tear his lips off. "Well, what can I do to help?"

Casey didn't look at him as she said. "I just need to be alone right now, Ed. OK?" she asked before entering her last class, leaving Edwin there to stare after her with a confused look on his face. _'What the hell is going on?'_

The ride home from school was just as silent as the way there, with only Derek and Casey in the car. Edwin was at practice and Lizzie was hanging out with Jamie. Casey knew that she would have to confront Derek about what had happened between them, and she knew that she couldn't wait much longer to do it.

She waited until they were home and she had settled in a bit before squaring her shoulders and going to see him.

Derek was in his room chilling before heading to work when Casey burst through his door without bothering to knock. "We need to talk."

Derek rolled his eyes and sat up in his bed. "No, we don't, now get out."

Casey stood there glaring at him, but didn't move. "No."

He stood and moved forward, trying to be as intimidating as he could. "Yes."

She huffed and crossed her arms. "Derek, you can't just kiss me and then pretend like it never happened. We need to talk about this!"

He started to laugh. "I can and I will – pretend it never happened, I mean," he paused, his eyes narrowing at her. "Isn't that what we're good at? Or have you forgotten?" he said intensely, his voice causing a shiver to go down her spine.

Casey looked away for a moment before steeling herself. "This is different."

"How? How is it different from any of the times before? Let it go, Casey. Your need to talk everything to death makes me crazy," he said before turning away to pace in front of his bed.

"You never told me what was bothering you last night. I still want to know."

Derek snorted derisively. "Can't you figure it out yourself? Are you _that_ dense?"

Casey's mouth tightened and she clenched her fists at her sides. "I guess I am, because I still don't know what the hell you're talking about!"

Derek moved into her space and lowered his voice. "_You_. You're what's bothering me. Now get out," he said, grasping her arms with his hands and physically moving her toward the door.

She fought back. "Derek, stop! I am not leaving until we figure this out! Let me go, you ass!"

He shoved her against his door, his eyes glinting with anger. His voice was lethal as he said, "I'm telling you this for the last time, Case. Stop coming in here and telling me what to do and demanding things from me. You have no right. It ends here: Leave. Me. Alone."

Casey was shocked into silence. The look on his face telling her he was indeed serious. What had she done to make him so angry with her? The thought made her stomach turn, and she felt like she might throw up. This couldn't stand. She couldn't bear to have Derek hate her like this. "Why do you hate me so much?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

At this, Derek's eyes widened, becoming as big as saucers. He dropped his grip from her and moved back, almost stumbling back on his bed. He stared at her as if seeing her for the first time, and it made Casey extremely nervous. She had no idea what he was thinking or feeling at that moment. "You think I hate you?" he said lowly.

Casey nodded, tears coming to her eyes. They slid down her cheeks but she didn't wipe them away. Her eyes were glued to Derek's, desperately wanting to break this stalemate they seemed to be in.

Derek ran a hand over his face and huffed out a breath. "I don't hate you, Case. I hate what you do to me."

If Casey's eyes could widen any more, they would. "What I do to you?"

Derek's eyes turned hard again. "OK, enough talking. Time to go," he said, moving forward to open his door. Casey moved in front of him, blocking the way. "What do I do to you?" she asked softly.

He closed his eyes at the sound of her voice and took a deep shuddering breath. "Casey . . . we can't talk about this right now. Someone could walk in . . ."

"There's no one home, Derek. It's just you and me," she said, her voice coming out low and breathy. She suddenly felt as if she couldn't get enough air, and she was panting slightly through parted lips.

"I have to go to work soon," he answered weakly, running out of excuses.

She moved forward, daring to put her hand on his arm, fingers stroking the skin there. "Tell me, Derek. What do I do . . ."

He yanked his arm out of her grip. "You make me crazy, dammit! Now leave before I do something I'll regret," he said before turning away from her.

She stood there staring at his back, biting her lip. The emotions flowing through her at the moment were too much, threatening to overcome her. Silently, she moved forward and molded herself to his back, her head resting between his shoulder blades, her arms going around his waist. "Derek, I'm sorry, I didn't know . . ."

Lightening fast, he turned in her arms and pushed her away. "And you still don't know! You are so caught up in yourself that you have no idea how you affect other people! So, yeah, you calling me selfish this morning? Kinda bogus. If I were you I'd take a look in the mirror, babe."

Anger flashed through her, and she glared at him. "You don't get to talk to me like that, Derek. You may get away with that with other girls, but not me."

His eyes changed, signaling that something snapped inside of him. "That's it. I'm done," he said before grabbing her arm and pulling her toward the door. With his other hand he whipped open the door and shoved her out. Intending to close the door, he didn't expect her to have such a grip on his arm, so he was startled when she pulled him back through the door into the hallway with her.

"We are not finished, Derek," she said, his grip hard on his skin.

He flicked a glance down to his arm before bringing a hand up to pry her grip off of him. "You're playing with fire, _sister_," he said, his eyes flashing.

"I am not your sister!" she shot back, pulling him to her and smashing her lips against his.

They kissed violently, teeth nipping, hands wandering. Derek moaned and grabbed her thighs, and Casey answered by jumping into his arms and wrapping her legs around his waist. Somehow they ended up against the wall next to Derek's door. She could feel his erection pressing against her and involuntarily bucked herself against him. They kissed frantically, their mouths gliding over each other, sucking on each other's tongues and biting each other's lips. Casey was on fire, she had never been as turned on as she was right then. The world seemed to fall away and all that existed was Derek's lips on hers.

Meanwhile, Derek plundered Casey's mouth, his mind shut off to everything else. She tasted so sweet, he felt as if he could kiss her forever. And the sounds she was making were driving him to distraction. When she ground herself against him, he almost lost it right there.

Derek could hear her panting as he moved his mouth from hers and migrated along her jaw line, nipping at her skin. He could feel her hands gripping the shirt on his back and jumped when he felt her nails through the fabric. He started moving his body against hers, wanting more friction, and all he could think about was getting her into his room and ravishing her for hours on end. He was just about to suggest that when he heard the front door slam. A minute later, Lizzie and Jamie's voices floated up the stairs.

Derek and Casey froze in the position they were in, Casey pressed against the wall with her legs still wrapped around his body."I'll be right back," They heard Lizzie say before she started up the stairs. Derek and Casey looked at each other in horror before Derek put Casey down and moved away. They didn't look at each other before he went in his room and she in hers.

Casey leaned against her door and breathed in heavily. _'I am in deep trouble,'_ she thought to herself, while trying to will her body to get under control. Her skin was on fire from Derek's touch, and the throb between her legs was almost unbearable. Growling to herself, she grabbed her robe and headed into the bathroom for a cold shower.

In his room, Derek flopped down face first on his bed and groaned loudly. _'Dammit!'_ Things had spiraled out of control, something he felt he had less and less of around Casey. The feelings that he had been struggling with for so long had exploded and he was having trouble putting them back where they belonged – in the far corners of his consciousness where he could keep a tight rein on them. He punched his fist into the bedspread. _'I am so screwed.'_

After her shower, Casey was in her room trying to concentrate on homework when her cell phone rang. Looking at the display, she saw Ashley's number and smiled. She grabbed it and answered. "Hi Ash."

"Hey Chica! What's shakin?" Ashley said breezily.

"Not a whole lot. Just plowing through my homework. What's up with you?"

"Well, I was calling to get the deets on what happened last night. I couldn't take waiting anymore." Ashley said with a whine in her voice.

Casey gulped. "Yeah, well, there's been a lot going on around here. I'm sorry I didn't call you sooner."

"Yeah, whatever," Ashley snorted. "So spill it. Did you or didn't you?"

Casey closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Well . . ." She was interrupted by a knock on her door. "Hang on a sec, Ash," covering the phone, she yelled at the door. "Yeah?"

"Case, it's Liz, can I come in?"

Casey welcomed the distraction. She would tell Ashley later what had happened the night before with Edwin. "Yeah, come in." She put the phone back up to her mouth. "Ash, can I call you back later?"

There was silence on the other end until she heard Ashley's soft reply. "Yeah, sure. I'll talk to you later."

"OK, later," Casey said before snapping her phone shut. She looked up to find Liz leaning against her desk. "What's up?"

Lizzie looked at her shyly. "I hope I wasn't interrupting anything."

Casey shook her head. "No, don't worry about it."

Her sister smiled in response and her expression grew animated. "Well, I wanted to talk to you about Homecoming. Would you come shopping with me this weekend?"

Casey smiled at her little sister. She was glad that Lizzie had found such a nice guy for a boyfriend. From what Casey could see, Jamie treated her sister like a queen. "Sure, I'll come with you. Do you want to go to the mall on Saturday?"

Lizzie beamed. "Yeah, that would be great!" She paused and looked at Casey. "I know I already asked, but has anyone asked you yet?"

Casey shook her head. "Nah, I don't think I'm going."

Lizzie gaped at her. "What do you mean you're not going? This is your senior year! You _have_ to go!"

Casey was already shaking her head. "Who says? Society? I don't think so."

Lizzie rolled her eyes. "Well, Ms. Feminist, why don't you go stag?" Her eyes lit up with an idea. "Hey! Now that Sheldon is gone, I bet Emily would go stag with you. It'll be fun! You can show all those guys who should have asked you that you can just as much fun, if not more, without them!"

She wasn't sure why it was so important to Lizzie whether or not Casey went to Homecoming, but she was touched all the same. Smiling, she said, "Liz, I appreciate your concern, really, but I don't think it's happening. Don't worry though, I don't care one way or the other." _'Lie, lie, lie'_

Lizzie looked skeptical but said nothing. "OK, then. Well, I'll let you get back to your homework. Thanks for coming with me on Saturday," she said, moving toward the door.

Casey grinned at her. "You're welcome."

That night, dinner was torture. Well, it was for Derek, anyway. He wasn't even supposed to be there, having gone in to work a few hours earlier only to find that Smelly Nellie's was over-staffed and business was slow. The owner had sent him home early, much to Derek's chagrin. Usually, he would have jumped at the chance to leave, but he didn't want to be at home. He shoveled another forkful of food into his mouth. The sooner he was finished, the sooner he could get away – _from her_. He didn't have to look up to know that she was sitting across from him silently, barely picking at her food. The rest of the table was boisterous, of course. Marti was in the middle of regaling everyone about her day at school, while Lizzie and Edwin were carrying on their own conversation about something that had happened in one of the classes they share. George and Nora were trying to keep up with both conversations, but soon gave up and started one of their own.

Derek shoved the last biteful into his mouth and went to push his chair back. "Done. I'm out of here," he said, moving to get up.

"Hold it!" His father's voice stopped him cold. "Where are you off to so fast?"

Derek paused, trying to think of something. "Uh, I have a ton of homework to do."

Everyone at the table stopped what they were doing and stared. He stared back, trying to keep his expression neutral. He was just about to crack wise when he was stunned by the sound of laughter. His eyes widened as he looked around the table at his family, who were all laughing – with the exception of Casey – at him. "Homework, that's a good one, Smerek," Marti said, her mouth full of food.

Derek scowled. "Whatever. Can I _please_ be excused?" he asked snarkily.

George waved him off, laughing. "Sure son. You can be excused," he looked at Nora, who was also giggling. "Homework . . ."

Derek ignored him and got up, his eyes involuntarily darting to Casey's. She sat there obviously trying not to look at him. His expression hardening, he turned and went upstairs.

* * *

Casey was getting ready for bed when Edwin showed up at her door. "Can I come in?" he asked softly.

Silently, she nodded and stepped aside to let him in. She took a quick look around in the hall before shutting the door. Going to sit on her bed, she looked up at him expectantly.

Edwin stood near her door. He was obviously nervous. His hands were twitching and he was shifting from side to side. "Uh, I just wanted to see how you were. You seemed a bit flustered earlier at school."

'_Oh, you don't know the half of it,'_ she thought sardonically. "Yeah, it wasn't one of my best days, but I'm feeling better now," she said, not quite believing it herself.

Edwin nodded and he looked like he was trying to decide if he believed her. He fidgeted some more, making Casey even more anxious than she already was. Finally, he spoke again. "Are you mad at me?" he asked in a rush.

Casey took one look at his forlorn face and felt like throwing up. She felt terrible – about everything – her unsure feelings for him, Ashley _and_ Derek. She was pretty sure that she was the worst person on the planet. She had to do something, and she knew that Edwin wouldn't like it. "Ed, come here," she softly, patting the spot next to her.

He hesitated before coming to sit next to her. She reached over and took his hand. "Edwin . . ." she started but was interrupted by his voice.

"Oh god . . ." he choked. "You're breaking up with me, aren't you?" he blurted out.

Casey's breath caught in her throat and she looked at him, stunned. She didn't know how to answer that. She didn't want to totally end things with him, but she also knew that she couldn't keep stringing him along if her heart wasn't totally into it. It wasn't fair to either of them. "Ed, last night was wonderful and I don't regret anything that happened, but it also made me think that maybe we're rushing things a bit," she stopped and searched his face for a reaction.

Edwin sat there silent. His face going from anxious to sad to angry. Finally he spoke. "You think we rushed things?" he asked incredulously. "Casey, we've been together for months!"

She took a deep breath. "Ed, I know that, it's just, with everything that's happened, you know . . ." she trailed off, knowing that he knew what she was referring to. They had talked about at length the night before at Ashley's. She thought they had an understanding. Now she thought maybe she was mistaken. She opened her mouth to speak again but he cut her off.

"Casey . . ." he said softer this time. "I'm sorry. I just get so . . . frustrated, you know? Forgive me?" he asked, his eyes pleading.

Of course she did. In fact, she should be the one apologizing, not him. "Edwin, no, don't apologize. I know I'm not the easiest person to be with. But you do a great job of dealing with me," she said with a small smile on her face. Thinking of what she wanted to say, though, made her get serious again. "Edwin, I'm not breaking up with you. But I _do _think we need to step back for a bit and give ourselves some breathing room. Will you give me that?" she asked, her eyes intent on his.

He sighed and met her stare. "I'll do whatever you want, Case. You know that."

Casey smiled, but inside she felt sick with herself – of herself. "OK," she said, pulling him close and putting her arms around him. She felt him squeeze her tight and she closed her eyes at the sensation. _'This is the right thing,'_ she thought before moving away.

Edwin got up and headed for the door. "Well, Lizzie and I are working on a project together, so I better get to it. She's probably wondering where I am," he said, his hand on the door knob.

"OK," she replied softly, watching him crack the door and look around before leaving for Lizzie's room. Sighing, she lay back and put her hands over her eyes. She didn't know how much longer this could go on. She was being pulled in all different directions and someday soon she was going to snap. She just didn't know when that would be.

**Review please!**


	48. Chapter 48

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but a wooden fence full of rotten boards.

**Chapter Forty-Eight: The Perfect Dress**

Casey was eating cereal at the kitchen island when Lizzie and Marti appeared. "Good morning!" Marti's cheerful voice sounded in the kitchen.

Casey smiled. "Good morning. You're happy. Any reason why?" she asked, her spoon chasing the last of the cereal around the bowl.

"Nope. Just feel like bein' happy," Marti said shrugging as she headed for the refrigerator. She opened it and looked around before shutting it again. "How come we never have anything good to eat around here?"

Lizzie and Casey laughed. "Beats the heck out of me," Lizzie said, grabbing some juice and pouring herself a glass. She took a sip before putting it down and turning to Casey. "Case, I'm so excited about shopping today! I can't wait to pick out the perfect dress for Homecoming!"

Casey finished her cereal and got up to rinse out the bowl. "Well, I'm excited that you're excited," she said, turning to face her sister.

Lizzie nodded. "I really wish that you were going to the dance," she said wistfully.

Casey frowned, vaguely aware of Marti standing to her right shamelessly eavesdropping. "Liz, why are you so concerned with whether or not I go to the dance?"

She shrugged and her eyes darted at everything but Casey. "I just want you to be happy, that's all. I mean, you haven't had a date since Brett . . ." she trailed off, hoping that she didn't upset her big sister with that remark.

Casey's eyebrows rose and she suddenly understood. All Lizzie could see was her big sister, who had a great boyfriend one day, and the next he was gone. She hadn't had a date in months, and it was her senior year – the last chance she had to go to Homecoming. Casey took a deep breath and said, "Hey," the tone of her voice causing Lizzie to swing her eyes back to hers, "I appreciate the concern, really I do, but it's OK. So things didn't work out with . . . Brett," she had trouble saying his name, "but I'm fine. And the only reason I haven't had a date is because I haven't been looking! My standards are very high, you know. I won't just date anybody," she finished, her voice holding a tone of laughter.

Lizzie saw that her sister was smiling and returned it with one of her own. Coming around the island, she moved toward Casey and opened her arms for a hug. Casey gladly obliged and held back a snicker as she caught out of the corner of her eye Marti rolling her eyes at the display. "I love you, sis," Lizzie said softly into Casey's shoulder.

Casey hugged Lizzie tighter. "I love you, too," she said before moving back. "Now. Why don't we get ready and head to the mall. We have dresses to look at!" she said, trying to lighten the mood.

Lizzie laughed and turned to head up the stairs. "OK. I'm gonna grab a shower first and then we'll head out, sound good?"

"Yeah. I took my shower last night, so I'm all set," Casey said before heading into the living room.

Derek was sprawled in his chair mindlessly watching TV when Casey appeared behind him. "Good morning, Derek," she said, her voice uncertain.

He grunted but said nothing. Casey stood behind him for a while, shifting from foot to foot and waiting for him to look at her. Pretty soon, it became apparent that wasn't going to happen and she huffed out a frustrated breath and went upstairs. 'Men!'Casey thought to herself as she went into her room to change.

After clearing with Derek that the car was free, (clearing meaning that she at least got Derek to look at her and nod his acceptance), they headed to the mall, which was packed, to say the least. Casey drove around the parking lot for a good 15 minutes before she found a spot that wasn't in the next town.

They spent the next few hours combing the stores for the perfect dress for Lizzie. She tried on every manner of dress – floor length, A-line, mini, flared, fitted, patterned, plain, halter, spaghetti-strapped, strapless, blue, pink, white, striped, polka-dotted, shimmery, satiny, lacy – everything. Casey thought if she never saw another dress in her lifetime it would be too soon.

Lizzie's voice broke Casey out of her reverie. "How about this one?" she asked, coming out of the changing room and twirling around. Casey's eyes widened. This was it. _The_ dress_._

"Oh, Liz," Casey breathed. "That's it. It's perfect!"

Lizzie twirled again and caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. A shy smile lit her features. "It is, isn't it?" she said, running her hands down the dress, which was light blue with sparkles along the bodice. It fell to just above her knees and had a princess sleeve. Out of all the dresses she had tried on, this was the one that looked like it was made for her.

"How much is it?" Casey asked, hoping that Lizzie could afford it. Nora had given her a limit of 150 dollars.

"Ummm," Lizzie said, looking for the tag. "I think it's on the collar in the back. I can't reach it," she said, her arm flailing in vain to get it.

"Here, let me," Casey said, reaching inside the back of the dress and pulling it out. _Two hundred dollars. _She repeated the price out loud to Lizzie, whose face fell with the realization that she didn't have that much money.

Casey felt a pang in her chest. Without thinking, she grabbed her purse and snatched her wallet, opening it to find . . . 10 dollars. _'_Damn!' she thought. She worried her lower lip between her teeth trying to think of something else. Another idea popped into her head and she grabbed her checkbook to confirm the balance. 'Well, this is better,' she thought, noting that she had a total of 70 dollars, which was leftover from what she had earned babysitting during the summer. She closed her bank book and looked up to find that Lizzie had returned to the dressing room and was changing back into her clothes. "Hey Liz," she said through the door, "You love that dress, right?"

"Yeah," came Lizzie's voice dully.

"And you want it, right?" Casey asked.

A pause, and then: "Yeah."

"Well, I was thinking . . . here my little sis is going to her first high-school dance with the boyfriend of her dreams, and she's found the perfect dress . . ." Casey trailed off when Lizzie appeared fully clothed, the dress back on the hanger in her hand.

"What?" Lizzie asked in a what-are-you-trying-to-say voice.

"Let me make up the difference," Casey said with a big smile on her face.

"Huh?" Lizzie asked dumbly.

Casey smirked. "You heard me. I want you to have that dress, Liz. It's perfect. You _must_ have it, and I want to help you get it. What do you say?"

Lizzie stood there looking at Casey like she had sprouted a third eye. Casey's smile faltered a bit. She knew that her sister was proud and didn't like to ask people for help of any kind. She hoped that her sister would take the offer in the way that Casey wanted her to take it and not get insulted. Deep in her thoughts, Casey was taken aback when she felt Lizzie's arms around her. "You would do that? Really?"

Casey laughed and patted her back. "Of course. I know the importance of having the perfect dress for a dance. If you don't, well, you might as well not even go."

Lizzie pulled back and looked at her. "Casey, are you sure you want to do this? Do you have the money? I know you've had a hard time finding a job . . ."

Casey waved her hand to interrupt. "Liz, don't worry about it. I still have some money saved up from babysitting this summer. I _want_ to do this."

Lizzie looked at Casey a little longer before breaking out into the biggest smile Casey had ever seen. "OK," she said shyly.

"Good," Casey said resolutely before steering her sister to the cashier.

When they got home, Lizzie ran ahead of her into the house to show their mom the dress. Casey thought of something. "Liz! We still have to make sure you have shoes to go along with it!" she yelled, realizing that Lizzie was probably out of earshot. 'Oh well, I'll talk to her later about it,' she thought, heaving a breath as she flopped on the couch, pulled off her shoes and started rubbing her feet.

"Good. You're home. I need the keys," Derek said from her left.

Casey turned her head to look at him and felt her pulse speed up at the sight of him. _'He looks really good today,'_ she noted idly, her eyes taking in his green Henley, which was covering a white t-shirt. He was wearing Casey's favorite jeans on him, with the big pockets in the back, and his hair had that messy look, although she knew he had a way of making it look like that. 'Like I just ran my fingers through it,' she thought, her face burning. Her eyes ran down his body and they blurred with her thoughts. "Hello?" Derek asked, snapping his fingers in front of her face.

Casey shook herself and focused on him again. He was now standing in front of her with his hand out. "Keys?" he asked, a strange look in his eyes.

"OK," Casey said absently, her hand briefly touching his as the keys changed possession.

"Thanks," Derek said, looking at her a bit longer before turning and heading out the door.

Casey followed him with her eyes until she was distracted by her mom and George entering the living room. "Hi honey. Did you have fun shopping with Lizzie?"

She turned to face them. "Yeah, I did. Did you see her dress?"

Nora smiled. "Yes, it's beautiful." Moving forward, she cupped her hand around Casey's cheek. "She also told me that you helped her pay for it. That was very sweet."

Casey shyly ducked her head. "Well, it was the perfect dress. It's the least I could do."

Nora removed her hand. "Well, Lizzie is very blessed to have a sister like you. I hope she thanked you."

Casey nodded. "She did. She's good at that. Now all we have to do is make sure she has the right accessories," Casey said, her eyes unfocused with thoughts of jewelry and hair styles for Lizzie to try.

Nora nodded. "Well, I'm sure you'll help her with that, too."

"I will."

George spoke up. "Well, Case, your mom and I are headed to the movies," he said, putting his arm around Nora. "We figure that we need to take advantage of all the free time we can get before the baby comes."

Casey understood. "Well, have fun."

"We will," her mother said before they left. Casey sighed and headed upstairs for a nap.

* * *

Derek was in a foul mood. Smelly Nellie's was continuing to cut his hours due to slow business, the Prince was making a funny noise under the hood, plus the interior smelled like Casey (which drove him nuts), _and_ he had gotten into another fight with Sally, which ended with her telling him to "get bent", whatever that means. He blew out a breath and exited the car, but didn't feel like going into the house. Instead, he grabbed the basketball that had been sitting on the back lawn forever and started shooting hoops. He needed to expend some nervous energy before going inside. Due to whatever the hell was going on between him and Casey, he was wound tighter than a spring.

A half hour later he was covered in sweat, but much more relaxed. He went in through the back door and headed straight to the fridge for a bottled water. Opening it, he drank the entire thing in what seemed like one gulp. He put the empty bottle next to the sink to be refilled (George insisted on reusing the bottles to save money), and wiped his arm across his brow. Although he felt more relaxed, he still had a lot on his mind, and he found himself again thinking of his maddening stepsister. She spun him like no one else. 'Why does it have to be _her_ that drives me crazy?' He thought, turning to look out the window. He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he didn't hear the footsteps coming down the stairs.

* * *

After her nap, Casey collected the dirty clothes from her hamper and put them in a basket to wash. She headed downstairs and entered the laundry room, sorting the whites from the colors. Feeling a presence behind her, she turned and noticed Derek in the kitchen staring out the window. He didn't seem to notice her there, so she continued her perusal of him. He must have been working out or something because she noticed he was sweating. His t-shirt clung to his back and Casey's eyes caught a drop of sweat that was slowly making its way down the back of his neck. Unconsciously, she licked her lips and a flame of desire shot through her. 'Oh god,' she thought before turning back around and loading the washer.

Derek jumped slightly at the noise coming from the laundry room. He turned and spied Casey putting clothes in the washer. He watched her for a minute before heading over. "Hey, while you're at it, can you wash my stuff too?" he asked cockily.

Casey whirled around at the sound of his voice. "I realize I've asked you this a hundred times before, but do I _look_ like your maid?" she asked putting a hand on her hip.

Derek made a show of deliberately running his eyes over her body. Casey flushed at his examination and had the impulse to smack him but refrained. He curled his lip at her. "Not now you don't, but Halloween isn't far away, maybe you can dress up as one."

Casey turned and started the washer. "You'd like that, wouldn't you?" she said over her shoulder.

"Yes, yes I would," he said in her ear, making her whirl around and press back against the washer for more space.

"Derek . . ." Casey said more breathily than she would have liked. Her words died in her throat when she glimpsed the look in his eyes. The gaze he was giving her was intense, and she had to close her eyes to it. She gasped when she felt his palm on her cheek, his thumb stroking the skin there. She opened her mouth to speak but was startled when she felt his lips gently cover hers. Sighing, she wound her arms around his neck and kissed back, bringing their lips tighter together. Derek took that as permission and brought his other hand to her neck, his fingers rubbing the skin right below her hairline. Casey moaned softly and pressed herself against him, their lower halves grinding against each other.

A noise from upstairs broke them apart. Casey grasped the washer to keep from falling down. "Derek . . ." she started, but he waved her off.

"I gotta go," he said before running up the stairs, leaving her to wonder yet again what the hell happened.

'Who else is home?' she asked herself while climbing the stairs. Her mom and George had just left, Edwin was at a meet, Marti had left for a friend's . . . duh! Lizzie! 'OK, I need to speak with Derek, but I can't do it in the house,'_ s_he thought heading to his room. Idly she noticed that Lizzie's door was closed. _'_Good.' She stopped in front of Derek's door and knocked softly.

"Go away," he called through the door.

"Derek?" she asked softly, putting her hand on the knob.

"Don't come in here!" his voice sounded strangled.

Casey paused. "Derek, let me in," she said a little more forcefully, but still trying to be quiet.

She heard nothing for a moment, then he let out what sounded like a loud frustrated growl before the door whipped open. He stood in front of her, his face flushed. Casey instinctively ran her eyes over him and they widened when she noticed that his belt was undone and the top button of his pants was open. He was also shirtless. "I need to talk to you," she said, her eyes back on his.

"I'm busy," he ground out, his eyes hot on hers.

Casey shook her head and moved forward, lowering her voice. "Derek, this can't go on. We really need to talk but we can't do it here. Come with me."

Derek looked surprised. "Come with you?" he asked dumbly.

"Yeah, let's go somewhere," she whispered, her heart beating rapidly.

Derek stared at her for a minute before running a hand through his hair, making it even messier than before. Again Casey felt a lick of desire but she fought to look neutral. Derek noticed the change in her eyes, however, and his gaze moved to her lips. "OK," he said absently, turning to grab his wallet.

"Uh, Derek?" Casey asked.

"Yeah?" he replied turning back to her.

"You might want to put a shirt on and do up your pants," she said, her eyes not meeting his.

He looked down. "Oh yeah . . . right." He said before buttoning back up. He went to the dresser and opened the middle drawer, grabbing a t-shirt and pulling it over his head.

She smiled and took his arm, leading him down the stairs. Remembering Lizzie, she gave Derek a look that said 'hang on,' and went to Lizzie's door. "Liz?"

"Yeah?" her sister's voice said through the door.

"Derek and I are heading out for a bit. I'm dropping him off at a friend's. So it's just gonna be you home for a while. I'll lock the door behind me, OK?

"OK, thanks for letting me know," Lizzie called.

"No prob," Casey replied before turning back to Derek. She halted her progress when she noticed the look he was giving her, which practically made her spontaneously combust. She returned his look steadily before they both headed for the stairs. On the way out Casey slipped on her shoes and grabbed her purse while Derek snagged the keys from the ring in the kitchen.

"Hand 'em over," Casey commanded him once they were outside. Surprisingly, he did as he was told, throwing her the keys over the top of the car. She gave him a smile before they both got in. Starting the car, she headed to the place she thought would be perfect for the talk they needed to have.

**Review please!**


	49. Chapter 49

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but a bunch of drafty windows.

**Chapter Forty-Nine: The Talk**

Casey felt Derek's eyes on her as she drove silently through the streets. Her heart was beating wildly out of her chest and she struggled to remain in control while not letting on to Derek just how worked up she was.

A few minutes later, she pulled into the parking lot of a park which ran along a small creek on the other side of town from where the McDonald/Venturis lived. Casey had been here a few times – had actually stumbled across it one time on her way back from Ashley's – and loved to come here to think.

Casey cut the engine and put her hands in her lap, intending to lead Derek to her favorite spot to sit along the bank of the creek. Gathering her courage, she took a deep breath and turned to him. He sat there with an unreadable expression on his face, his hand absently caressing the seatbelt across his chest. Casey's heart jumped in her throat and she licked her lips. Her left hand on the door handle, she spoke, "Derek, I . . ." but was cut off by his lips. Somehow he had gotten his seatbelt off and moved across the expanse of the front seat. One hand grasped the back of her head and the other moved along her jaw, guiding her lips on his. Casey swallowed her words and let him move against her. Her body was on fire, and with one hand, she unbuckled herself and turned into his body, her hands coming up to frame his face. It would be so easy to lose herself in his kisses, but she knew that they had to talk. However, the feel of his tongue on her lips made that thought fly out of the window. 'Just a few minutes longer,' she thought hazily as they kissed. Casey never knew she could get so aroused just by kissing. She could do this all day – explore Derek's lips with hers. The need for air, however, made her move back and gasp before moving back in for another touch of his lips. The pause made Derek's wits return and he immediately tilted his head back when Casey tried to kiss him again.

Confused, Casey moved back and dropped her hands from his face. She said nothing, searching his eyes for what he was feeling.

Derek stared back, breathing hard. His eyes were feral, his pupils wide with desire. A moment later, he seemed to get himself under control enough to speak. "I can't . . ." he panted, trying to catch his breath. He brought a hand up and scrubbed it over his face. His eyes met hers and the look in them scared her. "Casey, I can't do this. I can't. I have to know . . ." he trailed off, gazing at her with a pleading look in his eyes.

"Know what?" Casey asked, reaching out and putting her hand over his on the seat.

Derek looked down at their joined hands. He blew out a breath. "You and Edwin . . . that night . . ."

Casey's heart flipped and she thought she was going to pass out. He wanted to know if she had slept with Edwin! "Derek . . . I don't think . . ."

"Don't tell me it's none of my business! I _know_ it's none of my business! But I can't help it! I need to know! It's driving me crazy! _You're_ driving me crazy!" he was shouting at her now, making Casey wince. "Whatever this is . . ." he said, waving his hand between the two of them, "I can't do it until I know," he finished, looking away. Casey thought he might cry, which broke her heart.

Casey didn't know what to say. This was one of the weirdest conversations she had ever had. 'How did I get into this?' Derek turned to look at her again, the pain in his eyes unbearable to her. "Oh Derek," she said, moving forward and cupping his cheek with her palm. He closed his eyes at the contact and nuzzled her hand before again looking at her. "I didn't," she whispered to him, not able to say more for fear of bursting into tears.

Derek didn't know if he had heard her right. 'Did she just say that she _didn't_ sleep with him?' he wondered, his heart galloping at the thought. "Say that again?" he choked out.

Casey smiled beatifically. "I didn't sleep with him," she sighed and continued. "Look, I'm not gonna lie, we went there specifically to have sex, but when it came right down to it, I couldn't go through with it. I stopped it," Casey heaved a sigh of relief, feeling a giant weight leave her shoulders. It felt good to get that out. She glanced at Derek for a reaction. He sat there seemingly in a trance, as if trying to compute what she just said.

"Huh," he said in a wondering tone.

Casey shook her head to clear it. "_Huh_? That's it? You're not going to say anything else?" Casey asked him exasperatedly.

Derek quirked an eyebrow. "Well, what do you want me to say? That I'm glad? _I'm glad_, OK? In fact, I'm so happy I'm thinking of jumping out of the car to do a happy dance! What do you think about that?" he asked heatedly.

Casey's mouth dropped open and she stared at him. An almost uncontrollable urge to slap him upside the head appeared, but she tamped it down. "Derek, you know what?" she asked him.

"What?"

"You talk about _me_ driving _you_ crazy? Well, you drive me just as crazy! I swear, no one else makes me want to tear my hair out like you do. You have been nothing but a pain in my ass since the first day we met. I should just reach over, open your door and shove you out of the car! You are so infur . . ." Her tirade was cut off by his lips on hers.

Stunned, Casey was frozen as Derek wrapped his arms around her and plundered her mouth with his lips and tongue. Casey involuntarily opened her mouth to him and let him in, loving how it made her feel. Feeling him pull her closer, Casey scooted over and found herself clamoring onto Derek's lap, effectively straddling him in the middle of the front seat. The car windows soon fogged up due to all the heavy breathing but neither teen noticed – too wrapped up in each other to care.

Time slowed and seemed to come to a halt, and the rest of the world fell away, leaving nothing but the two in the car, both desperate for each other – hands wandering and grabbing, lips meeting again and again, soft breathy moans and the occasional growl from the male – their bodies grinding against each other, seeking more friction.

When the need for air became too great, Casey and Derek moved apart, Casey still in his lap. Their eyes searched the other's face, looking for anything that said 'This was a mistake, we need to stop this.' Surprisingly, there were no such looks and Casey and Derek smiled at each other – real smiles, not the 'I'm-gonna-kill-you' smiles.

Casey scooted back a bit and self-consciously patted down her hair. Derek's hands had been running through them, grasping it to control her head as he was kissing her, and tangling his fingers through the long tresses. Her eyes ran over him, mentally sizing up his appearance. His hair, too, was mussed from her fingers, and his skin was flushed. Casey could see the emergence of a hickey appearing on his neck and she was surprised that she didn't remember putting her lips there. The thought of her mark being on his skin made her tingle and she involuntarily bucked on his lap, making Derek draw in a sharp breath. His hands were steady on her hips, and she could feel his fingers drawing patterns on her jeans. "So . . ." she said, at a loss for words.

"Yeah . . ." Derek added, his eyes darting around the car.

They sat in silence for a moment before Casey moved to get off Derek. His grip tightened. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm getting off," she said before thinking, making Derek smirk at the double entendre. "Don't even, Derek," she warned, trying to wiggle free of his grip.

His hands steadied her movement. "I don't want you to go," he said, his voice gravelly.

Casey was shocked at the response of her body to his voice. He had an effect on her like no other guy had – not Max, Brett _or_ Edwin – and she didn't know how she was going to survive the torrent of emotions that Derek evoked in her. She would drown if she wasn't careful. "OK," she breathed softly, settling back on him. She suddenly felt the urge to have him in her arms and moved forward, wrapping herself around him and burying her face in his neck. Vaguely, she registered the salty taste of his skin along with the faint odor of cologne overridden by the smell of his sweat. He hadn't had time to take a shower after shooting hoops, but strangely, Casey didn't mind. At any other time she would be disgusted; now she was oddly calmed by his scent. She took a deep breath and pressed a kiss to his neck.

Derek rumbled low in his throat, and he wrapped his arms around her and turned his face into her hair, picking up the smell of strawberries. That along with her perfume was the scent that clung to the interior of the Prince and drove him crazy every time he drove it.

They clung to each other silently, each thinking of all the things they wanted to say, but neither daring to speak for fear of ruining the moment. Finally, Casey couldn't take it anymore. "I'm sorry," she said, shocking Derek.

His hand stroked her hair. "What are you sorry for?"

"Driving you crazy," she said into his neck, the puffs of air along his skin making goose bumps appear.

Derek huffed out a laugh, making Casey lift her head to look at his face.

"What?" she asked annoyed.

Derek smiled at her, making his eyes crinkle. "You're sorry for driving me crazy? Come on, you _love_ to drive me crazy."

Casey felt like she should have been insulted but she wasn't. Because she knew that Derek was right. She loved to drive him crazy. It's what made their relationship so full of excitement. She didn't think she could stop even if she wanted to. She smiled and leaned forward to peck his lips. "Yeah, you're right."

Derek was flabbergasted. 'Casey admitted that I was right?' He was shocked and definitely pleased to see this new side of her. A thought crossed his mind and he got serious again. "Is it the truth? Did you really not sleep with Ed?" The look on Casey's face made him start babbling. He couldn't afford to piss her off now. Not when things were so . . . good. "Because, I would understand if you're just trying to soften the blow, but I want to know the truth, so don't tell me what you think I want to hear, I want you to tell me what really happened," he ended with a deep breath.

Again, Casey felt that normally she would be incensed at his question, but she couldn't seem to summon up the energy to be angry with him. "Derek, it's the truth. Ed and I didn't sleep together, and in fact, I told him that we need some space. I have . . . other things on my mind," she said softly, her eyes touching his.

Derek rubbed his hand over her back, making Casey cuddle into him deeper. "What other things?" He was almost afraid to ask.

Casey took a deep breath and moved back to see his face. "Well, I thought I was ready, was all set to go through with it, but as the night went on, I started to realize that I had been ignoring other feelings that I'd been having. Anyway, it didn't happen. That's all you need to know," she said resolutely, hoping that he would finally believe her.

He examined her face, the look on his own telling her that he was weighing her words. "I believe you," he said softly.

Casey smiled and hugged him again, but a thought occurred to her. Again she moved to see his face. "So, why was it so important to you whether or not I had sex with Edwin?" she knew, but she wanted to hear him say it.

Derek looked away. "I just wanted to know is all."

"Uh uh, Derek. There's more to it than that. Tell me," she demanded, her hand reaching out to guide his face back to hers.

He flinched, making her drop her hand. A beat passed and then he spoke. "Look, I know my brother loves you – or he thinks he does," – Casey winced at this – "and if you had slept with him, then who knows? He would probably be at home as we speak addressing your wedding invitations or something."

Casey nodded imperceptibly. "Yes, you're probably right. That's another reason I couldn't do it. The balance of feelings there is definitely lopsided. I couldn't do it knowing that I had feelings . . ." she trailed off, not wanting to admit anymore.

"Feelings . . ." Derek asked with a wicked look in his eyes.

She huffed out a breath. "Feelings for you, you dipwad! Geez! Your head is already big enough! Must you make me say it?"

He laughed openly, the look on his face making Casey smile as well. "I knew it, you want me _bad_."

Casey snickered and lightly punched his shoulder. "Cut it out, ass, or you'll be walking home."

"Yeah, yeah. You waant me, you waant me . . ." Derek sang, and Casey growled and leaned forward to shut him up, using the best way she knew how . . . kissing him senseless.

They stayed there for a little while longer before the growling of Derek's stomach forced them apart. "Sorry," he said sheepishly, putting a hand on his stomach.

Casey giggled, which made Derek's eyes widen. He didn't think he had ever heard Casey giggle before. "That's OK. I'm getting hungry myself. What time is it?"

"Aren't you wearing a watch?" Derek asked sardonically.

Casey looked down at her wrist. She was. Oops. "Oh," she said with a half-smile on her face. "Uh, it's 5:30." Her stomach clenched. "Derek, we better get back. We've been gone a lot longer than I thought we'd be."

"Well, it's not my fault you kept distracting me!" Derek said mockingly.

"Oh, shut it," Casey said good-naturedly before getting off of Derek and straightening her clothes. Grabbing her purse, she dug into it and found her lipstick, re-applying it and then combing her hair to put it back in place.

Derek watched all this in amusement.

"What?" Casey asked, her eyes darting sideways to look at him.

He snorted. "I just think it's funny that you're trying to fix yourself up to make it look like you haven't just spent hours making out with me."

Casey felt a flash of desire at his words. 'Damn! I need to learn to control myself around him!' "Well, what do you want me to do? Walk in the house looking like I just jumped my annoying stepbrother? What do you think mom and George would say? Uh uh, no thanks. I'm not ready to have _that_ conversation."

"I hear that," Derek said nodding in agreement.

Casey smirked and started the car, heading home.

They entered separately, Casey going in right away and Derek staying outside for a bit to make it look like they had arrived independent of each other. George and Nora were in the kitchen making dinner. "Well hello! Where were you off to?" Nora asked while peeling potatoes.

"Uh, I went to Ashley's for a little while," Casey said hoping she sounded believable.

Nora nodded absently. "That's nice honey. How's she doing?"

Casey expelled a breath and sat down at the island next to George. "She's fine. We just hung out and talked."

"Mmm mmmm," Nora said distracted.

Casey rolled her eyes and stood. "Well, I'm going to go to my room until dinner."

"OK, we'll call you in a while to eat," George said as she headed upstairs.

Derek entered the house a few minutes later through the front door and immediately headed to his room. There was some unfinished business that he had to attend to and if he didn't handle it soon he was going to explode. 'In more ways than one.' He thought sarcastically as he slammed the door to his room.

Meanwhile, in the attic, Edwin had just finished taking matters into his own hand and was drifting into a light sleep. He had returned home from his meet an hour ago, having earned first place in the relay event. His thoughts quickly turned to Casey and the night they spent together. Sure, they ended up not having sex, but they still had fun with each other before she put the brakes on things. He remembered how frustrated he had been at first, but when Casey had explained to him that although she wanted him, she couldn't because of her unresolved feelings about the near-rape, well, he couldn't be angry with her. He was actually surprised that she hadn't had more problems stemming from that night. She seemed to be handling things pretty well. He remembered her telling him about a nightmare she had experienced shortly after, but other than that, nothing.

So, he had been content to hold and kiss her and tell her that he loved her. His body, however, was as tense as a bow and he needed release. He couldn't keep his hands off himself, especially after Casey said she wanted "space." Didn't she know that her proximity to him drove him nuts? That if he couldn't touch her he would explode? He was thinking all these things as he stripped out of his track uniform and laid down on his bed, his hand making his way down his body. Minutes later, he was coming and the tension melted away, to be replaced with a calm that lulled him to sleep.

* * *

At dinner, they had a houseful, with Jamie joining them, along with Dimi and Emily. Casey had phoned her shortly after returning home from her "talk" with Derek. She wanted to check in with her good friend, knowing that she herself had been too preoccupied lately to be the best friend she could be. Emily had gladly accepted Casey's offer to come for dinner, and was now trying to choke down what she thought was beef stew, but wasn't sure. "Did you make this, George?" Emily asked, her fork full of food.

"Nope, that would be my lovely wife," he said shooting an adoring look at Nora. Edwin, Lizzie and Marti all rolled their eyes.

"Yes, I made dinner tonight, do you like it?" Nora asked Emily with a hopeful note in her voice.

Emily knew that George was a lousy cook, but she was surprised to learn that Nora was not much better. No wonder Casey was so skinny! She probably never ate anything because the food was so awful! "Um, yes, it's good," she said before putting the fork in her mouth. She struggled to make a 'Mmmmm, it's yummy' face. "Very good," she said around her food.

Casey snickered next to her behind her glass of water. She knew that Emily thought the food sucked, because well, it did. 'Derek and I should have grabbed a couple burgers while we were out,' she thought idly, her eyes making their way to his. Their gazes met and Casey could swear that she felt sparks between them.

Derek shoveled another mouthful of food in and smirked at Casey. He had the urge to run his foot up her leg, but he didn't want to arouse suspicion. Just being in the same room as her was making his blood pressure rise. She got him going more than any other woman ever had. And he had been with a few. Speaking of women, Sally chose that moment to pop into his head, and Derek realized that he had a big decision to make, the thought of which made his stomach turn (even more than the "beef stew" did). He pushed it out of his mind and continued to eat, occasionally catching Casey's eye. Her skin was rosy and she pushed the food around her plate, mainly drinking water instead of eating. 'She needs to eat,' he thought. 'Maybe later, I'll convince her to go for a burger or something.'

George got his attention by asking Edwin how his meet went and the rest of the dinner continued uneventfully. After Derek was finished, he retired to the living room and plopped down in his chair. His phone rang and he grabbed it, seeing that it was Sally. He hadn't spoken to her for hours, which was a record for them, but he didn't feel the need to talk with her. He let the call go to voicemail and turned on the TV, noticing Casey and Emily heading upstairs out of the corner of his eye. He couldn't approach her until Emily went home. And who knew how long that would be? He groaned and kicked up the footrest, settling in for the night.

**Review please!**


	50. Chapter 50

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but a roof missing a bunch of shingles.

**Chapter Fifty: Confessions**

They sat on Casey's bed, Emily cross-legged at the foot; Casey leaning up against the headboard. Catching up on gossip and other school happenings, Casey noted to herself that it felt good to be here with her oldest friend (well, oldest since she had moved in with the Venturis).

"So Em, what's been happening with you? I know we haven't had a chance to talk much lately. How are you feeling?" Casey asked, her eyes flicking to Emily's stomach.

Emily smiled and put her hand over her abdomen. "I'm fine, Case. Although I don't know how good an idea it was to eat your mom's cooking. I foresee a night filled with heartburn," she said only half-joking.

Casey snorted. "Hey, you knew what you were getting into when you accepted my invitation to dinner."

Emily nodded. "Yeah, I guess I did," she said softly, trying to think of a way to segue into what she wanted to talk about.

There was an uneasy silence until Casey spoke. "What's going on, Em? I can tell something's on your mind."

Emily brought her head up and stared at Casey. "Yeah, there is, actually. Some things have been happening, and I wanted to tell you about them."

"OK," Casey said uneasily. Whatever it was, it sounded ominous.

Emily took a deep breath before continuing. "Well, I told Sheldon."

Casey gasped. "Wow. What did he say?"

Emily laughed slightly. "Let's just say he freaked out."

"Freaked out in a good way or a bad way?" Casey asked, sitting up and crossing her legs.

A small smile appeared on Emily's lips. "A good way."

Casey reached forward and covered her friend's hand with hers. "And?"

"He wants to marry me."

Casey about fell off the bed. "What?"

Emily met Casey's eyes. "He wants to marry me," she repeated softly.

"Marry you . . . like in a few years, right?" Casey asked disbelievingly.

"No. He wants me to move in with him and finish school where he's at. We'll graduate and then get married."

Casey was blown away. Never in a million years did she think she would be having this conversation with Emily. She was full of questions. "Are you going to do it? What do your parents think about this? What about school here? All your friends? What about me?" The questions burst out of her before she could think, and she felt the prick of tears in her eyes.

Emily also looked choked up. She leaned forward and hugged Casey. "Oh, Case. I don't know. I haven't made up my mind yet. I haven't told my parents any of this. Sheldon and I have just been talking about it. Ever since I told him, we talk almost every day. He's really pushing for this, but I'm just not sure what to do," she ended with a sob.

Before she could stop them, Casey felt tears running down her cheeks. She squeezed her friend tightly and found herself gently rocking them back and forth, her hands rubbing circles into Emily's back. "God, Em, I had no idea you were going through all this. Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

Emily sniffed and moved out of Casey's arms. "Well, no offense, Case, but lately you've been pretty preoccupied. There was never a good time to tell you."

Casey hung her head. Emily was right. She had been so self-involved lately that she barely acknowledged anyone or anything outside of her own little bubble. She was filled with self-loathing. "I am so sorry Em. I've been a terrible friend. Can you forgive me?"

Emily smirked, but couldn't quite pull it off due to the tears running down her cheeks. "Of course I forgive you, you big drama queen. Come here," she said, motioning Casey into her arms again.

Casey went gladly and found herself sobbing in Emily's arms, the feelings that she'd been dealing with the past few months bursting out of her. They overwhelmed her, and she could no more stop them than she could a storm front. She could feel her tears soaking Emily's shoulder and she tried in vain to calm herself.

"Casey, what's wrong? I had no idea this news would upset you so much," Emily said in a confused voice.

Casey moved back, her hands still clasping Emily's upper arms. She took deep shuddering breaths and tried to speak. "I . . . you . . . I'm sorry . . ."

Emily looked at her, totally mystified. Frankly, Casey was scaring her. "Are you all right? What's going on? Tell me," she practically demanded, wanting to help her friend in any way that she could.

Casey dropped her hands from Emily's arms and wiped her face. It was time to let Emily in on everything that had happened the last few months. Gone was the fear that her friend would blab it all over school. Casey knew that Emily had her own secrets to keep and she had been doing a good job of it. She trusted that Emily would not betray her. Casey took a deep breath and started at the beginning . . .

* * *

Downstairs, Derek hadn't moved from his chair. He was only half-paying attention to the movie he had settled on, some horror flick that was totally predictable. On the couch next to him sat Lizzie, Jamie and Edwin. They were all staring at the TV intently, with Lizzie clutching Jamie's arm as if her life depended on it. George and Nora had retired to the downstairs, 'no doubt to get it on', Derek thought sarcastically, while Marti had headed upstairs to her room.

He was deep in thought about the events of earlier when he was surprised by Marti jumping on his lap. "Aaah!" he half-screamed, half-yelped. When Marti was younger, she would sit on his lap all the time. Now that she was nine (and a lot bigger), those times were few and far between.

"Hi Smerek!" Marti said loudly in his face.

"Marti, god, you scared me!" Derek said before thinking, making the others laugh. He quickly amended his statement. "I mean, you didn't _scare_ me, I just didn't expect you to jump on me. I thought you were in your room."

"Yeah, well I got bored. So I decided to see what you guys were doing," she said, settling herself against him.

Derek shifted uncomfortably. When did Marti get so heavy? 'Damn, this chair wasn't made for two people,' he thought before focusing on the movie again.

"What's that on your neck?" Marti asked, her finger touching a spot on his skin just above the collar of his t-shirt.

Derek froze. A flash of memory from earlier appeared in his head. _He and Casey in the front seat of the Prince, making out wildly. Casey was kissing him when he felt her grasp his hair and whip his head back, baring his neck to her. She moved back, and with a feral smile and wild eyes, attached her lips to his neck and started sucking – hard. Derek thought he was going to come in his pants right there. The worry of having evidence of their "talk" dissipated with the feeling of her lips on his skin and the way her body was rocking on him._

"Derek?" Marti said again, a quizzical look on her face.

He snapped his eyes to her, feeling a flush creep over his face. Edwin, Lizzie and Jamie were now all staring at him with speculative looks on their faces. Well, on Lizzie and Jamie's faces, at least. Edwin had more of a smirk on his face, no doubt thinking he got the hickey courtesy of Sally. 'You keep thinking that, buddy,' Derek thought to himself.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Smarti," Derek said, trying to brush her off.

This caused snickering from the other kids and Derek shot them all a glare. Marti looked like she was about to push it further but must have decided not to because she shrugged and moved back into him, her arm coming around his waist, her head snuggling into his side. They sat there for a bit until Marti started sniffing.

"What?" he asked, hoping that she couldn't smell Casey's perfume on him.

"You stink, Derek," Marti said, lifting her head and scrunching her nose.

Derek's mouth dropped open. "What? I do not stink!" he said, offended.

Marti giggled. "Yes you do. You need to take a shower," she said, moving off him and tugging on his arm to get him to get up. "I think you should take one right now."

Derek grunted. He didn't feel like getting up right now, but the look Marti was giving him softened his resolve. He lifted an arm and sniffed himself. Ugh. He _could_ use a shower, and he wondered how Casey could have stood to be intimately tangled with him for so many hours without complaining. The thought made him smile as he got up. "OK, Smarti. You win. I'll go take a shower," he motioned to his chair. "In the meantime, you can keep my seat warm for me, OK?"

She smiled up at him adoringly. "OK, Smerek," the look on her face making his heart melt.

"OK," he said, ruffling her hair before heading up the stairs.

In Casey's bedroom, Emily sat stunned, trying to digest everything that her supposed best friend had just told her. Casey had spared no detail, starting with her resolution to change her life after Max dumped her to the party where she _really_ met Brett, to her dalliance with Derek the first time, to her flirtation and relationship with Edwin, to meeting Ashley and suspecting that she had feelings for Casey, and Casey's confused feelings for Ashley, to the attack on her by Alex and Brett, to Amy's prostituting herself, to her almost losing her virginity to Edwin, and finally to her asking him for space and involving herself with Derek yet again.

Casey sat there trying to gauge Emily's reaction. She was scared to death that Emily would be horrified and run out of the room. She knew that Emily had nursed a crush on Derek for years before Casey and her family moved in. Almost an obsession, really, until she started dating Sheldon and seemed to accept the fact that she and Derek were never going to happen. However, it didn't mean that she wouldn't be disappointed and feel betrayed by it.

Casey couldn't take the silence anymore. "Em?"

Emily put her hand up. "Give me a sec, OK?" she said, rising from the bed. Emily knew that _she_ was keeping secrets. She had no idea, however, that Casey was harboring so many secrets herself. She _did_ feel betrayed. Casey and her were supposed to be best friends! Now she was wondering if she ever really knew Casey at all.

Casey's eyes welled with tears again. The look on Emily's face was not a good one, and she wondered if she had lost a friend with her confessions. "Em, I'm so sorry for not telling you everything. It's just that I was so confused after Max broke up with me – I thought we would be together for a long time, and I was sick of myself, of being so boring. I wanted a change and I guess things got out of control. I know you probably think that I'm damaged for getting involved with my stepbrothers – hell, maybe I am. I just don't know . . ."

"Casey, stop," Emily's voice halted Casey's ramblings. "You're babbling." She took a deep breath and sat back down on the bed. "I'll be honest. I'm shocked and hurt that you didn't confide in me sooner. Especially about the situation with Brett. Best friends are supposed to be there for each other and you didn't even give me a chance to do that for you." Casey hung her head, and Emily continued. "And the thing with Ashley? Well, I don't know what to think about that. Are you telling me that you're bi-sexual? I'll go ahead and assume that you're not a full-out lesbian based on all the action you've been getting from Edwin and Derek," she said before thinking.

Casey looked at her friend in shock. The words coming out of Emily's mouth hurt – terribly – but she knew that it was all true, and she wished she could turn back time and let Emily in on things from the beginning, but there was nothing she could do about it now except apologize and hope that her friend wouldn't hold a grudge.

Emily examined Casey's face after her outburst. She looked devastated and Emily felt a pang of guilt for what she said. She scrubbed a hand over her face. "Look, Case, I'm sorry for that last remark. I didn't mean it. But come on, you have to realize that you're playing with fire, here. Look at all the people you have hanging on you – Ashley, Edwin and Derek – these are people, Case, not playthings! You have to decide what the heck you want and you have to do it fast! And what about Sally, huh? As far as I know, she's still Derek's girlfriend, not you!" She paused to take a breath before continuing. "Either way, someone's going to get hurt," she finished, her eyes boring into Casey's.

Casey choked back a sob. "I know, Em. Don't you think I know? I've gotten myself in deep here and I have no idea how to get myself out of it! What am I going to do, Em? What _should_ I do?" she entreated her friend, her hand reaching out and squeezing Emily's thigh, making her flinch.

Emily took her hand and pried Casey's claw-like grip from her leg. Casey shot her an apologetic look. "I wish I knew the answer to that, Case. All I can say is that you have to think long and hard about what you want, but also not lose sight of the fact that it's just not your feelings that are involved here. It's you plus three others, and that's not including the collateral damage – meaning Sally – that there might be."

Casey's brows rose at the mention of "collateral damage". Emily must have been watching too many action movies lately or something. "I know," she sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I have some serious thinking to do. And I have to talk to Ashley, Edwin _and_ Derek to see where their heads are at. I mean, I pretty much know that Edwin thinks he's in love with me, but Ashley and Derek are not as cut-and-dried. Especially Derek. He's pretty much the same as he's always been, except he doesn't deny wanting me. At least that's the way he acts," Casey said, looking to Emily for a reaction.

Emily's eyes shuttered. She was over Derek, but it didn't change the fact that she had spent so many years pining for him. The memories of her feelings for him were still there and probably always would be. Casey knew all this and didn't need to be reminded of it. Emily shook it off and faced her friend, who was looking like she was on the way to her own execution. Emily softened. "Casey, I don't hate you if that's what you're thinking. I'm just shocked. It's a lot to take in. It's like in all the months that these things have been going on, you've basically been another person. When you describe the events that went on, it doesn't even sound like you're talking about yourself, because I could never imagine the Casey _I know_ doing those things. Do you understand where I'm coming from?"

Casey nodded mutely. She tried to put herself in Emily's place and she knew she would probably react the same way – no, she would react much worse. "So, we're still friends then?" she asked in a small voice, hugging herself with her arms.

Emily looked at her friend, then – _really_ looked at her – and realized that maybe she didn't really know her at all. The girl before her was not the girl that Emily had known for two years – the confident, super-keener feminist that had all the answers. This was a girl who was confused and unsure about herself, and her actions had gotten her into a place that would be very difficult to get out of. And Emily thought _she_ had problems! Here she was pregnant, and she was still glad that she didn't have Casey's issues. She found herself smiling at her friend. "Of course we're still friends. Always," she said, standing and opening her arms.

Casey let out a sob and stood, moving into Emily's arms. She felt so much better after confiding in Emily. She had no idea that the weight of her secrets were pressing so heavily on her. She hugged Emily again and moved back. "Wow. I feel a lot better," Casey said, wiping her eyes.

Emily smiled. "Good." She straightened her clothes and looked at her watch. "Well, I should get home. I need more sleep now, you know," she said, her hand covering her stomach.

Casey nodded in acknowledgement. "Yes, I can only imagine," she said softly. "Why don't I walk you out?" she asked, opening her bedroom door and following Emily out.

Together they walked down the stairs to the front door. Edwin, Lizzie, Jamie and Marti were all there watching what looked to be a horror movie. Derek was no where to be seen. Casey opened the door and followed Emily out to the front porch. "Thanks so much for listening, Em. And again, I'm really sorry for not confiding in you sooner."

Emily smiled. "Well, I'm not gonna say that it's OK, cuz it's not, but we're good. And thanks for listening to my problems, too. We'll help each other out, alright?" she said, taking Casey's hands in hers.

Casey answered by squeezing Emily's hands. "You bet."

Emily nodded before letting go of Casey's hands and heading home. Casey watched until she saw Emily enter her house before going back in herself.

She didn't pause on her way to her room – she didn't want the others to notice that she'd been crying. Instead, she headed to the bathroom and washed her face and brushed her teeth. All this confessing had exhausted her. Now what she wanted to do was lie down and go to sleep.

Hours later, however, she found herself staring at the ceiling of her bedroom, Emily's words bouncing around in her head. _'What about Sally? She's still Derek's girlfriend, not you!' _Casey tossed and turned, her mind going over the implications of her and Derek's earlier actions. What did that make them? They weren't boyfriend and girlfriend, obviously, since he had Sally and Edwin wasn't totally out of the picture. She groaned and put her palm to her forehead. Suddenly she needed to talk to Derek – _now_.

Silently, she got up and crept to his room. It was now 1:30 a.m. and she thought he would probably be asleep, but wasn't totally sure. In the hallway, she paused outside her room and listened for any noise in the house. It was dark and silent. She looked under Derek's door and didn't notice any light coming from underneath.

Tiptoeing to his door, she gently put her hand on the knob and slowly turned it, hoping that it wasn't locked. The progress she was making, however, told her that it wasn't. The door opened and she crept in, trying to be as quiet as possible. She turned and closed the door behind her, gently sliding it in until she heard the click of the mechanism in the jamb.

She turned and put her back against the door, trying to calm her nerves. Her eyes were already adjusted to the dark and she easily picked out Derek among the covers on his bed. He slept on his back, one arm flung over his head and the other resting on his stomach. His face was turned slightly to the left and his mouth was partly open. Casey could see his chest rising and falling with his deep and even breaths. She felt her feet moving of their own accord toward him, and when she got to the side of his bed, she crouched down to his level and put her hand on his arm. "Derek," she whispered, shaking his arm lightly.

He chuffed in his sleep and turned his head away from her. "Derek!" she whispered again, shaking him a little harder.

Derek's eyes popped open and he turned his head toward her. "Casey? Wha . . .? What is it?" he asked, pushing himself on his elbows and rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

Casey got up and sat next to him on the bed. "Nothing's wrong, I just needed to talk to you," she said, her stomach fluttering with nerves.

Derek looked at her before a smile lit his face. "Are you sure you just came in here to _talk_?" he said playfully, his voice making her insides turn to jelly.

"Der-rek," she whined, trying not to smile.

He laughed softly and shifted to make room for her. "Come here," he said, patting the spot next to him. He raised the covers and waited for her to get in next to him.

Casey hesitated for only a moment before doing as he wanted and lying down next to him. He settled the covers back over them and wrapped his arm around her, his fingers drawing designs on her upper arm. "So, what did you want to talk about?" he asked, making Casey's eyes widen in surprise. _This coming from the guy who hated to talk._ She shifted into his side so she could see his face. The moonlight coming from his window illuminated his face and neck and Casey was surprised to see the hickey she had given him – darker and more pronounced than when she had noticed it earlier. Her stomach flipped as she remembered their time in the car and she unconsciously snuggled into his side, making him sigh in what sounded like contentment. Frankly, his attitude was surprising to her. She liked this side of him and wondered if that was how he was with Sally. _Sally_. The reason she was here in the first place.

Casey didn't want to talk about Sally just yet. She wanted to take advantage of this time with him – in the dead of night – lying there feeling safer than she ever thought she could feel with a guy. Again, she felt the tide of feelings she had for him crash over her and her clasp on him tightened.

Derek turned on his side toward her and brought a hand to the side of her face. They lay there just looking at each other for a moment before he brought his lips to hers in a sweet kiss. Their lips barely touched, but Casey felt like she was on fire, a feeling that she was getting used to from being around him so much. Derek moved back and looked into her eyes with an expression she had never seen from him before. _'Was it love?'_ Casey didn't know. She didn't think she would ever see such gentleness in her stepbrother's eyes. This openness was only reserved for Marti, and obviously that wasn't the same.

Her heart soaring, she leaned in and kissed him again, her leg coming up and moving over his body. He groaned in approval and wrapped his arms around her, shifting her fully on top of him. She could feel his hardness against her stomach and moved lower, lining up their bodies. Derek panted into her mouth and she smiled against his. Her hands were on each side of his face, her fingers in his hair. She started moving against him and she felt his hands move down to her ass to control the tempo. A gush of wetness flooded her panties and she sighed into his mouth. "Derek . . ." she said softly before invading his mouth with her tongue.

Again, they were lost in each other until the sound of the bed creaking from the motion of their bodies against each other's snapped Casey out of her lust-filled haze. She stopped kissing him, making him groan in disappointment. "Casey, you're killing me here," he panted into her neck.

"Shhh, Derek, we have to slow it down a bit. The bed was starting to squeak," she said looking into his eyes.

"If you ask me, it wasn't squeaking nearly enough," he said with a smile on his face.

Casey groaned and let her head fall onto his shoulder. "Derek! I'm being serious here! What if someone heard us?"

Derek sighed in her ear. "OK, OK, geez, woman, you sure know how to put out the fire."

Casey snapped her head up at that. "What the hell does that mean?"

Derek looked at her, surprised at her outburst. '_Uh oh.'_ He could feel Hurricane Casey coming and he didn't like it. "I just meant that we were having a good time until you started talking," he said, and then mentally slapped himself for the way it came out.

With lightening speed, Casey was off him and standing next to the bed. "You are such an asshole, Derek!" she whispered loudly, her hands on her hips.

Derek was only half-listening, as he openly checked out his stepsister in her white tank and boy-short panties. 'Damn, she's hot.'

"Derek! Are you even listening to me?" she moved forward, slapping him upside the head.

"Ow, dammit, Casey! What'd you do that for?" he asked, sitting up and rubbing his head.

"Stop looking at my tits and listen to me!" Casey huffed.

"But I like looking at your tits," Derek said without thinking. This time he ducked when she went to hit him and he smirked when she missed. Huffing out a breath, he swung his legs over the side of his bed and got up, moving into her space. "What did you come in here for, Casey?"

She licked her lips and moved away from him. She couldn't think straight when he was so close to her. "I wanted to talk about Sally," she said bluntly.

Derek instinctively moved back. 'Talk about a shift in gears.' "What about her?" he asked crossing his arms.

Casey faltered. "Well, I, she's still your girlfriend, right?"

Derek said nothing, instead searching her eyes. "Yeah . . ." he said slowly.

She threw him a glare. When it was apparent that he wasn't going to say any more, she growled and started pacing in front of his bed. Derek turned and leaned against his desk, his arms still crossed in front of him. Finally, she stopped pacing and spoke. "Derek, what's going on here? Are you expecting to have both me _and_ Sally?" She was scared to death of his answer but she had to know.

Derek tensed and dropped his arms. He had no answer to that, and in fact, hadn't even thought about it. OK, that's not true, he _had_ thought about it – he just didn't want to deal with it. "Can I have both of you?" he asked jokingly, but his smile died on his lips when he saw Casey's face. It was thunderous, to say the least.

Immediately, he was face to face with a fuming Casey, who proceeded to wave her arms around. "Are you fucking serious? You know what?" – pointing her finger at him now – "This is why it would never work between us. You don't know when to be serious. Well, I'll make it easy for you. I'm out of here. Today never happened, and you can have Sally and pretend that nothing ever went on between us."

Derek spoke before he could stop himself. "The hickey on my neck says otherwise, Case."

Casey snorted. "Well, just tell everyone that Sally gave it to you. As to what you tell _her_, well, that's your problem, just don't bring me into it." She moved for the door and Derek wanted to stop her, but found himself frozen.

She stopped before opening the door, turning to look at him. She was hoping that he would stop her and take her into his arms, telling her that he didn't want Sally, that he wanted her and only her. But that didn't happen. They stared at each other before Casey took a deep breath and opened the door, throwing a look at him one more time before closing it behind her.

Derek stood there staring after her for a long time.

**Review please!**


	51. Chapter 51

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but a TV with no reception.

**Chapter Fifty-One: What Now?**

Casey was up early the next morning. She had barely slept the night before, and a dull headache hovered over her eyebrows, putting her in a cranky mood. When everyone else was still asleep on this Sunday, Casey was out running – something she didn't do very often. Usually she left the running to Edwin, but today she felt the need to get out and feel the wind in her hair and the cold against her skin. As she jogged through the streets, all she could hear was the 'thump thump' of her shoes on the pavement. Having to concentrate on keeping herself moving even though her lungs burned and her legs ached helped steer her mind off something else – namely Derek and what an ass he was.

She could not believe that he had the nerve to ask her if he could have both her _and_ Sally. 'Was he joking?' The thing was, Casey didn't know. She had no idea what he really felt for her – other than the fact that he thought she was hot – which obviously wasn't enough for Casey.

She reached the two-mile mark and turned around. Cooling down, she walked the rest of the way home and debated how she was going to deal with this latest development.

Casey entered through the back door with sweat running down her face. She was exhausted, but felt great, her body aching in all the right places. Her mom and George were in the kitchen making breakfast. "Casey!" her mom exclaimed, surprised. "You've been out jogging already this morning?"

Casey grabbed the hand towel which was hanging on the handle of the oven. "Yeah, I needed the exercise."

George looked impressed. "Wow. I wish _I_ was that motivated. But if it comes down to jogging or staying in a warm bed with your mother, well, there's no contest," he said, throwing his arm around Nora.

Casey smiled but said nothing. Going to the fridge she grabbed a water and headed upstairs to shower.

An hour later, Nora and George called everyone down for breakfast. Lizzie, Edwin, Marti and Casey all bounded down the stairs and took their seats. Derek was conspicuously missing. "Ed, go wake Derek up, will you?" George asked as he spooned scrambled eggs onto his plate.

"Sure," Edwin said, heading up the stairs.

Casey grabbed a slice of toast and a small amount of scrambled eggs. Even though she had exercised hard that morning, she wasn't very hungry. She wanted to finish her breakfast and get out of the house – hopefully without running into Derek.

A few minutes later, Edwin appeared – alone. "Derek doesn't want to get up. He says to go ahead and eat without him."

George looked annoyed. "Well, it's his loss then, and more for us," he said, trying to remain upbeat. He always liked it best whenever everyone ate together, especially on Sundays. That was "family day", although more and more, the family had been separated due to Derek's job and the kids wanting to hang out with their friends more than their family. George felt a sadness in his heart as he looked around the table. The kids were growing up so fast – pretty soon the older ones would be gone to college, with Edwin and Lizzie not far behind. The only thing that kept him going was the fact that the new baby would be here soon, and of course, Marti.

Casey finished her breakfast and looked at her mother. "Mom, may I be excused?"

Nora looked surprised. "You hardly ate anything. Aren't you hungry? You _should_ be after running this morning."

At that, Edwin shot Casey a surprised look. He didn't think that Casey liked to run. There were many times he had asked her to go running with him, and she always refused. Now that he examined her face, he could tell something was bothering her. He vowed to ask her about it later.

"I'm fine, mom. I just have a lot of things I need to do today and I'd like to get started."

Nora nodded in understanding. "OK, honey. You can be excused."

Casey smiled slightly and headed upstairs. She barely cast a glance at Derek's door as she passed.

* * *

She stayed in her room until 1:00 p.m., when she couldn't stand it anymore. She had no idea if Derek was up or not, but she couldn't stay there a minute longer. Grabbing her phone, she dialed Ashley's number. It rang and rang until the voicemail clicked in. Casey hung up without leaving a message. Sighing she headed downstairs and hoped she wouldn't run into her insufferable stepbrother.

She found her mom and George sitting on the couch in the living room, watching TV with Marti. She had no idea where the other kids were. "Mom, I'm heading out for a few hours, I'll be back later, OK?"

Nora looked at her daughter. "Are you taking the car?"

"Yeah," Casey answered, shifting from foot to foot. The urge to flee was uncontrollable now. It's like she knew that if she didn't leave soon, she would surely run into _him_, and she couldn't have that.

"Shouldn't you check with Derek to see if he needs the car?" Nora asked, her eyes returning to the TV.

Casey felt a flash of annoyance. 'Hell no!' "I'm not gonna be gone long, and if he needs it for work or something, he can always call me and I'll come home."

Nora returned her attention to Casey, her eyes running over her. Casey felt exposed and shifted uncomfortably. 'Please, please, please . . .'

"OK, sweetie. Where are you going?"

Casey thought fast. "To Ashley's."

Her mother nodded thoughtfully. "Have fun."

She smiled back gratefully. "Thanks, I will," she said before heading into the kitchen to grab the keys. 'Derek can kiss my ass if he needs the car.'

Half an hour later she found herself at Ashley's place. Casey had driven around for awhile, not being able to think of anywhere to go. She figured she might as well head to Ashley's cuz that's where she told her mother she would be anyway. She sighed and pressed the button to her apartment.

A few minutes later, she pressed the button again, getting more impatient by the second. She knew Ashley was there, because her car was. She gave up and started pushing all the buttons when a voice came squawking out of the speaker. "What?" blared a voice that sounded like a grumpy old lady.

"Um, hi. Can you buzz me in? I live here but I lost my keys," Casey lied, hoping the old hag would buy it.

"How do I know that you live here? You could be some burglar or killer or something," the crone replied.

Casey rolled her eyes. "Well, I guess you don't know. But it's not true. I'm just a teenaged girl," Casey hoped the extra sweetness she injected into her tone would win the old broad over.

She could hear the woman grumbling over the speaker. Something about "damn kids", then the buzz of the door opening made Casey smile. "Thank you!" she said, even though the woman couldn't hear her.

It took a few minutes of pounding on Ashley's door before it finally opened. "This had better be good," Ashley growled.

Casey appraised her friend. She had obviously been sleeping by the look of her hair. And her face was wrecked – it looked like she had crashed without taking off her makeup because it was now smeared all over her face. She wore a black tank and what looked like men's boxers. She stared at Casey uncomprehendingly before realization dawned on her face. "Casey! What are you doing here?"

She smiled at Ashley. "Surprised to see me? I'm sorry for waking you up, but I missed you."

Ashley rubbed her eyes and smiled slightly. "Well, uh, come in," she said waving Casey in.

Casey went in and surveyed her surroundings. The place was trashed. She turned and looked at Ashley, who was rubbing her head like she had a hangover. "Did you have a party here last night?"

Ashley snorted out a laugh. "You could say that."

Casey nodded and went to sit on the couch. "Do you want something to drink?" Ashley asked, heading into the kitchen. She opened the fridge and grabbed a water.

Casey smirked and said, "Yeah, do you have any alcohol?"

Ashley quirked an eyebrow. "Are you kidding me? It's . . ." she searched the room for a clock. "One-thirty in the afternoon! What's going on that you need to drink so early in the day?" she asked, coming to sit next to Casey on the couch.

Casey leaned back and scrubbed a hand over her face. "Shit, I've really fucked up, Ash, and I don't know what the hell to do. I was hoping you could help me sort things out," she said, shooting a pleading look at her best friend.

A noise from the bedroom startled Casey. "What was that?" she asked Ashley, who now wore a look of apprehension on her face.

"Uh, I kind of already have company, Case," she said apologetically. She quickly added, "It's no big deal though. Come on, tell me what the problem is," she motioned with her hand for Casey to continue.

Casey, however, was distracted by whoever was in Ashley's bedroom. "Who's in your room, Ash?" She asked in a teasing voice.

Ashley shifted uncomfortably on the couch. "Well . . ." she started, but the question answered itself when her door opened and a gorgeous guy stepped out, wearing nothing but a pair of tight red boxers. He was all angles and muscle, with dark hair and piercing green eyes.

"Hey Ash, can I hit the shower before I leave? I feel like . . ." he stopped when he noticed Ashley wasn't alone. A slow smile spread across his face. "Hey, who's this?" he asked, his eyes moving over Casey, making her feel light-headed.

Ashley sighed. "Joe, this is Casey, Casey, Joe," she said, waving her hand between the two of them.

Joe came closer and offered his hand. Casey struggled to keep her eyes on his but it was hard considering he was just about the finest specimen of man she had ever seen. His voice dragged Casey from her thoughts. "I'll just get out your hair and leave you ladies to it," he said, strolling into the bathroom as if he owned the place.

Casey turned to Ashley with her brows raised. "Wow. He is . . ."

Ashley nodded. "I know." They looked at each other for a moment before busting up laughing.

'Well, I guess that answers the question of whether or not Ashley wants me,' Casey thought to herself. She was relieved – mostly – but there was a small part that was a little – dare she say it? – jealous. She mentally slapped herself and pushed the thought away.

"So what's up, chica? You look stressed," Ashley said, covering Casey's hand with hers.

"I fucked up – big time," Casey repeated, raising her head to look into Ashley's eyes.

Ashley's brows rose. "How so?"

Casey took a deep breath. "Well, first off, Edwin and I didn't sleep together the other night."

Eyes widened, Ashley said, "OK . . ." She was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Casey continued. "I told him we needed space. He was suffocating me."

Ashley nodded but said nothing.

Casey wrapped her arms around herself and went on. "Derek and I fooled around."

Her friend's mouth dropped open. "Oh."

"Yeah, oh," Casey said. She took a shuddering breath. "I'm really confused, because frankly, Derek's an ass."

Ashley rubbed Casey's arm. "What did he do?"

Casey snorted at the memory. "He thinks he can have both me _and_ his girlfriend!"

'This story is getting stranger by the minute,' thought Ashley. "Are you serious?"

"Unfortunately, yes." Casey said, feeling the tears come. She pushed them back, tired of crying.

"Wow," was all Ashley said, bringing Casey into her arms and hugging her.

Casey sagged against her and wondered what the hell happened to her life. She had lost all control.

A moment later, Joe came out of the bathroom wearing nothing but a towel. Billows of steam from the shower followed him out. He paused upon seeing the two friends on the couch. "Don't mind me," he said before continuing to Ashley's bedroom.

The girls looked at each other and giggled. "He's hot," Casey said, looking at Ashley speculatively.

"Yeah, he is," Ashley agreed.

"Where did you meet him?" Casey was curious.

"Remember the hot guy I told you about a few months ago? The one that I was exchanging 'heated glances' with? That's him. Last night things went to the next level," Ashley said, a blush coloring her cheeks.

'Ashley was blushing? That's a new one.' Casey thought to herself. "Is he nice?" It was important to Casey that her friend not get involved with an ass – like _she_ did.

"Yeah, he's OK," Ashley said vaguely.

"That's good," Casey finished lamely.

Ashley didn't want to talk about Joe. "So what are you going to do?"

Casey sat back and looked at her friend. "Well, right now, hang out with you. If that's OK."

Ashley smiled widely. "It's more than OK."

* * *

Derek awoke a little before 3 p.m. feeling still tired and achy. He groaned as he sat up and he felt the pop of joints as he stretched. Rubbing his eyes, he noticed the time and was surprised that he had slept that long. 'And I wasn't even drinking last night!' Well, at least he had enough time to grab something to eat before he had to go into work. He headed downstairs and looked around, hoping to avoid Casey for the moment. He knew she was beyond angry at him and he wanted to give her a chance to cool off before he approached her. He knew he was an ass the night before, but he wasn't about to apologize. Derek wasn't the type of guy who followed a girl around with his tongue hanging out like Edwin did. He had more pride than that. Casey was so used to crooking her finger and having the guys come running (Sam, Max, Edwin, etc.) – well, that wasn't going to be him. It just _wasn't_.

He was relieved when he didn't encounter her in the kitchen. He was starving and headed immediately for the pantry to scrounge up something. "Well, I thought you were dead," George said dryly as he entered the kitchen from the living room.

Derek grunted but said nothing.

"Everything OK?" His father asked.

"Yep." Derek said not pausing in his search for food.

George leaned against the counter and stared at his son. The tenseness in his shoulders told him something was wrong, but he knew Derek would never confide in him. "Do you want me to make you a sandwich?"

Derek straightened up. "Uh, sure. That would be great," he said with a surprised look on his face.

"What sounds good?" George asked him.

Derek thought for a moment. "Grilled cheese?"

George smiled. That's been Derek's favorite since he was a child, and having Derek request it now brought back all kinds of memories. "You got it," he said, moving to get the skillet.

Derek smiled and sat down on a stool to watch his father cook.

* * *

Casey and Ashley sat on the couch laughing. Joe had left a while ago, and Ashley had turned on the stereo. Music was blasting from the speakers, and they had been up dancing. Now, they were both on the couch trying to catch their breath. "Whew!" Ashley said, wiping her brow. "You'd think with me being a pro dancer, I wouldn't have a problem with this, but I'm winded!" she said laughing.

Casey smiled. "I hear that. I was up early this morning _jogging_ of all things."

Ashley was surprised. "Really?"

Casey nodded. "Yeah, I couldn't stand to be in the house anymore, and I didn't want to run the risk of bumping into Derek, so I just took off. It felt great, actually."

Her friend nodded, but said nothing. They sat there for a moment before Ashley moved to get up. "Are you thirsty?"

Casey laughed. "Yeah, and I already told you what I wanted."

Ashley snapped her head toward Casey, surprised. "You really want to get drunk in the middle of the afternoon?"

"Not _drunk_, just lighten the load a little," Casey said smirking.

Ashley stood there contemplating. She had to work later and couldn't afford to get wasted. "I have to work later, Case. I don't think it would be a good idea for me to drink."

Casey weighed her options. "OK, then don't drink. You can watch _me_ drink."

Ashley examined her friend before shrugging and pouring something for her. A few minutes later, she returned with a glass that looked like it had orange juice in it. "Here. It's a mimosa – champagne and OJ. You'll like it."

Casey thanked her and took a sip. It was good, and she was hoping to just relax for a few hours and forget everything.

* * *

Derek savored the grilled cheese that his father had made. "This is so good," he said to George with his mouth full. "Thanks."

George smiled at his son. "You're welcome." He looked at the clock. "Don't you have to be at work later?"

Derek followed his father's eyes to the clock on the wall. "Yeah, I have to be there in an hour."

George nodded. "Well, you better hop in the shower while you still have time."

Derek shook his head. "Nah, I took one last night after dinner."

"Oh, OK then," George said before heading back out to the living room.

Derek followed. The whole family was there except for Edwin and Casey. He felt the hair on the back of his neck rise. 'She wouldn't . . .?'

"Where's Ed and Casey?" The words came out before he could stop them.

It was Nora who spoke. "Edwin's upstairs and Casey's at Ashley's," she paused and looked at Derek. "Why? Do you need the car?"

Derek tensed. "Yeah, I need to get to work in an hour."

Nora nodded. "Well, you'd better call Casey and tell her to get home then."

Derek pursed his lips. The last thing he wanted to do right now was talk to Casey. He wasn't in the mood to hear her bitching. On the other hand, there was a part of him that felt bad for how he had acted the night before and wanted to make it up to her. _'Don't cave'_ the voice in his head said. He huffed out a breath and headed upstairs to grab his phone.

* * *

Casey was on her third mimosa when her phone rang. She glanced at the display and noticed it was Derek. 'Fuck him,' she thought, flinging her phone on the table beside her.

"Aren't you gonna get that?" Ashley said next to her while painting her toenails.

"No, it's dickhead, and I don't feel like talking to him," Casey said petulantly.

Ashley raised a brow at her. "O-kay . . ."

After awhile, the phone stopped ringing and Casey relaxed. However, a moment later, her voicemail indicator went off. Casey rolled her eyes and resolved to ignore it. A few minutes later, though, her curiosity was driving her crazy and she grabbed the phone. Ashley snorted beside her.

"What?" Casey asked sharply.

"Just you," Ashley said simply, continuing with her pedicure.

"What about me?"

"The way you let him get to you. It's really something," Ashley said idly.

Casey sighed. She couldn't argue with that. "I know, he bugs me like no one else."

Ashley's head rose and she met Casey's eyes with an unreadable expression. "Yeah, I get that."

Casey wondered what her friend meant by that before dialing in her code to listen to the voicemail. A moment later, Derek's voice came over the line. "Casey, I need you to come home. I need the car for work." A pause, and then, "I'm supposed to be there in an hour, so, if you could get here soon I would appreciate it." Casey snapped her phone shut. He had sounded subdued, but Casey knew better. She could hear the underlying anger in his voice.

"What did he want?" Ashley asked beside her.

"He needs the car for work and wants me to come home," Casey said, her eyes unfocused.

"I don't think it's wise for you to drive right now," Ashley said noting the drink in Casey's grip.

"I agree," Casey said, leaning back and taking a big sip.

Ashley stopped what she was doing and looked at her. "Aren't you going to call him back and let him know to find another ride?"

Casey thought about that. "Um, let me think about that . . . no."

Ashley was surprised at her friend's juvenile behavior. 'Derek sure brought out the worst in her!' Instead, she shrugged and continued with her nails.

* * *

Derek hung up his phone and plopped on his bed. "Dammit!" he swore to himself. It was just like Casey to pull shit like this. He got up and paced, thinking about what to do next. The only thing he could think of was to call her again. So he did – over and over.

* * *

Casey's phone rang for the sixth time and it was seriously starting to annoy Ashley. "Casey, for god's sakes, will you answer your damn phone?" she asked from her spot in the kitchen where she was making them both a snack.

"No, I'm not gonna give him the satisfaction," Casey said belligerently.

Ashley rolled her eyes. She put the finishing touches on the sandwiches and brought the plates into the living room. She set them down in front of Casey. "Eat," she ordered.

Casey looked at the sandwiches and frowned. She wasn't hungry. "I'm not hungry," she said, crossing her arms.

Ashley blew out a breath and sat down next to her. "Casey, you've been drinking and you told me yourself that you barely had anything to eat today. Now I need you to eat so you can drive yourself home later," Ashley said patiently.

Casey looked at her friend. "Don't want to," she mumbled, finishing the last of her mimosa. "I would rather have another one of these," she said, waving the glass around.

Ashley shook her head. "No, I think you've had enough. I'm sorry I even made those for you." Usually Ashley was all ready to party, but today she sensed her friend needed something else – or someone else – and it made her heart ache.

"Oh, stop being such a party pooper!" Casey said pouting.

"I'm not being a party pooper, I just think there's a time and place for everything, and now is not the time for you to be drinking any more."

Casey sat there silently for a moment, just looking at Ashley. It was starting to make her uncomfortable. "What?" she asked uneasily.

Casey set her glass down on the table and moved closer to Ashley. "Kiss me," she said breathily.

Ashley dropped her sandwich back on the plate. "What?" she asked, shocked.

Casey stroked her hand up Ashley's arm. "I want you to kiss me," she repeated, her lids at half-mast.

Ashley stared at her, dumbfounded. Was she in a parallel universe? She felt like pinching herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming. "Uh, Case, now I _know_ you've had too much to drink," she said uneasily.

Casey moved back a bit and a frown appeared on her face. "Don't you want to?"

Ashley gulped. This was dangerous territory they were in. She didn't want to screw up their friendship, and this was the fastest way to do that. "Casey . . ."

Casey huffed out a loud breath and covered her face with her hands. "Ash, I'm sorry, I guess I misunderstood . . . I thought for sure . . ." she trailed off, too embarrassed to continue.

Ashley put a hand on Casey's shoulder. "What did you think?"

Casey peeked out between her fingers. "I'm so confused, and I thought you could help me sort things out. I thought you were giving me signals or something . . ."

Ashley smiled softly. "Signals?"

Casey hid her face in her arms. "God, could this get any _more_ embarrassing?"

Ashley took pity on her friend. "Case, you weren't wrong," she said, watching her for a reaction.

Casey's head snapped up. "I wasn't?"

Ashley shook her head. "I _was_ sending out vibes," she took a deep breath. "I guess I should have been more straight-forward with you, I just didn't know how without scaring you off."

Casey was stunned, but at the same time, she felt redeemed. She wasn't imagining things! "So, you like me?" she asked shyly.

Ashley smiled. "Yeah, I like you, silly girl."

They gazed at each other for a moment before Casey started moving toward Ashley with a determined glint in her eyes. Ashley put a stop to it. "Case, I don't think this is a good idea."

Casey was confused. Didn't her friend just tell her that she was interested? "Why not?"

Ashley refrained from rolling her eyes. "Casey, you obviously have a lot going on right now, and I'm not going to add to it by getting physical with you. You need to figure some things out first."

Casey didn't want to hear that. "But . . ."

Ashley put up her hand. "No. You need to sober up and get your head straight. I apologize for getting you drunk. It was a stupid thing to do with all that you have going on."

Casey wasn't giving up so easily. "Well, I guess I need to know then . . . how do you feel about me?"

Ashley thought about that. "I think you're the best friend I've ever had," she said resolutely.

Casey smiled and nodded for her to continue.

Ashley took a deep breath and spilled everything. "Look, I'm not a lesbian, as you could see from my overnight guest earlier, and I usually don't go for girls. I mean, I've been with women before, but it was no big deal. Mainly experimentation. But when I met you, well, it was different. We connected so quickly on such a deep level that I couldn't help but be attracted to you. But I knew that you were 'occupied' with Edwin and Derek, not to mention Brett, and I didn't want to push. Hell, I didn't even know if you felt the same way. I kinda thought you didn't," she paused and looked to Casey for a reaction.

Casey sat there taking it all in, her mind trying to wrap itself around Ashley's words. "Go on."

She did. "Well, I really enjoy being with you, and I think you're sexy as hell, but I'm not going to lie and say that I'm ready to settle down or anything. I mean, I know you have a lot to sort out, and frankly, I'm not one to wait, no offense," she added quickly.

Casey nodded mutely.

"Casey, I do want to kiss you – and do much more – but I won't until I know that's what you really want. And right now, it's not what you really want," she finished, her hand on Casey's knee.

Casey hung her head. "I don't know what I want. That's why I wanted you to kiss me. I wanted to see if I would like it."

Ashley couldn't help but laugh slightly. "Oh, Casey, what am I going to do with you?"

"I don't know," Casey answered miserably.

"Come here," Ashley said, tugging on Casey's arm.

Casey went willingly and buried her face in Ashley's neck. She again felt the tears come and this time she didn't stop them, letting them run down her face and drip on Ashley's shirt. Ashley whispered nonsensical things to her and rubbed her back with her palms.

She didn't know how long they sat there before Casey's phone rang yet again. This time Casey answered it. "What?" she practically shouted into the phone.

Derek's voice was loud in her ear. "Casey, where are you? Didn't you get my message? I've been calling you for almost an hour . . ."

She cut him off. "Yeah, I got it. I just didn't feel like talking to you," she said hatefully.

Casey heard Derek take a deep breath. "Stop being a child and get your ass home so I can use the car."

Casey's lips curled into a sneer. "No."

Derek exploded. "Goddamn it, Casey! Why are you acting like this? Scratch that, I don't want to know. But if you're not here in 10 minutes, I'm going to be late for work . . ."

"Derek," she said in a dead calm voice, silencing him, "I don't give a shit whether or not you're late for work. Find another ride, because I'm not coming home until I'm good and ready!"

"You bitch," he said quietly before hanging up on her.

Casey scowled and snapped her phone shut before giving Ashley an apologetic shrug. "Yeah, he hates me," she said simply before settling in Ashley's arms again.

**Review please!**


	52. Chapter 52

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but a leaking pool.

**Chapter Fifty-Two: The Repercussions**

Casey ended up falling asleep on Ashley's couch, and awoke at 7 p.m., when Ashley had to leave for work.

"Casey, wake up, babe. It's time to go home," Ashley said, shaking Casey's arm.

Casey sat up and rubbed her eyes. The headache she had when she woke up was back in full force, and she rubbed her forehead and groaned. "Ugh, remind me never to drink in the middle of the day anymore."

Ashley laughed. "Will do, hon," she said flitting around the apartment and grabbing items to put in her duffel. "I'm sorry if it seems like I'm rushing you out, but I don't think I should leave you here alone. You might fall back asleep again, and then your parents will be worried."

Casey nodded. "It's OK. I should be heading home anyway." She stood and stretched her muscles. "God, I need a good hot soak in the tub."

"That sounds good, you should do that," Ashley agreed, coming to stand in front of her. "Are you feeling better about everything?"

Casey thought about it. "Yeah, I think I am. Although there's still a lot for me to figure out." Her eyes landed on Ashley's. "At least I know for sure how _you_ feel now," she said with a slight smile on her lips.

Ashley grinned back. "I just want you to know that whatever happens, I will always be here for you, OK?"

A big smile split Casey's face. "I feel the same way," she said before moving into Ashley's arms and giving her a big hug.

Together, they walked out of the apartment.

* * *

George and Nora met her at the door when she walked in. "Cassandra Anne McDonald! Where have you been?" Her mother demanded with her hands on her hips. George stood next to her fidgeting. He was never a fan of confrontations.

"Mom, I'm sorry . . ."

"No, Casey! Derek needed the car and when he called you to come home, you refused! Why would you do something like that? Especially when you said that you would come home if he needed the car!"

Casey sighed and looked down. "Mom, I'm sorry, it's just that Derek was being such a jerk and I didn't feel like bringing back the car with the way he was treating me." _'He __was__ being a jerk.'_

"Well, I don't care if he was being a jerk! You two share that car, and Derek needed it to get to work. Thank goodness Edwin was willing to bring him, or _we_ would have had to do it!" Nora said, waving her arms around.

Casey had the urge to smirk but wisely ignored it. "I'm sorry," she said dully, wanting nothing more than to head upstairs and lay down.

"Oh, you're sorry, alright! You, young lady, are grounded. For a week!" Nora finished, looking to George for confirmation. He shrugged and nodded.

"A week! That's not fair! Derek was the one who was being an ass!" Casey said before thinking.

Nora sighed deeply. "Casey, I thought you and Derek were past all this behavior. You two seemed to be getting along, for the most part. Is there something we need to know?" she asked, looking deep into Casey's eyes.

Casey looked away. "No," she said softly.

Nora nodded. "OK then. Go upstairs to your room and think about what you've done."

Casey nodded and headed upstairs, passing Lizzie and Marti, who were sitting on the landing watching. She ignored them and went into her room, slamming the door behind her. Flopping on her bed, she felt like crying but didn't. She was more angry than anything else, and she knew she needed to calm down. Eventually she drifted to sleep, her face in her pillow.

* * *

The next morning, Derek was livid. He had wanted to talk to Casey the night before, but by the time he got home from work, her door was closed and locked. He briefly thought about jimmying it open, but didn't want to risk waking anybody else up. So today, he was on a mission to confront her about her childish behavior from the day before. Breakfast, however, was not the place to do it.

He trudged down the stairs and went to the pantry, grabbing his favorite cereal and a bowl. He fixed his breakfast and sat down next to Edwin, who eyed him wearily, obviously not totally awake yet. Derek grunted out a "good morning" in response to Nora and poured some milk into his bowl. He was noisily chomping on it when Casey appeared.

Casey totally ignored him as she grabbed the orange juice and poured herself a glass. The room was silent except for the clank of dishes and the sound of chewing. Casey was busy ignoring both Derek _and_ her mother, while Edwin and Lizzie, who had just appeared, were not awake enough to be doing anything but mindlessly eating. Nora actually breathed a sigh of relief when George and Marti appeared. Marti never failed to bring life to a room, and this morning was no different.

George was following Marti with a brush and trying to get her to slow down. "Marti, hold still for a minute, will ya? I'm trying to brush your hair here!"

Marti rolled her eyes and sighed dramatically. "Dad, I'm not a baby anymore! And I told you, I already brushed my hair. I'm going for the 'messy' look today."

George looked confused. "Messy look? Well, I'm sorry, young lady, but that's just not going to cut it."

"Whatev, just hand it here, then," she said, grabbing it away and dragging it through her shoulder-length brown hair. "Better?"

George smiled, apparently satisfied. "Much."

Marti nodded and sat down next to Lizzie. "So, I would like pancakes for breakfast," she stated, looking at Nora.

"Uh, Marti, it's a school day. You know we never have pancakes on a school day," George said, getting cereal for her instead.

"Man! It's just not my morning!" she said, looking around the room for a reaction. Marti always was a performer.

Casey spoke next. "Hey Ed, can I grab a ride to school with you?" she asked, avoiding the look that Derek was giving her.

Edwin looked up, surprised. "Uh, sure, Case. Not a problem."

"Good," Casey said before heading upstairs to get ready.

She was just about to close her door when Derek appeared. "Go away, Derek," she said, moving to shut the door on him.

He stuck his foot in between the door and the jamb and scowled. "I don't think so, Case. We need to talk," he said, his voice low. He entered and shut the door behind him.

Casey moved away and whirled on him. "I don't have time for this right now. I'm trying to get ready for school. I'm already under punishment, thanks to you," she shot at him, her face hard.

Derek snorted and put his hands on his hips. "Cut the crap, _sis_. You brought that all on yourself. If you had come home like you were supposed to, you wouldn't be grounded," he shot back with a smirk.

"_Noooo_, if you weren't such an ass, I would have brought the car home for you. But since you can't go very long without pissing me off . . ."

Derek put up his hand. "What's the real problem here, Casey?" he asked pinning her with his eyes.

"You know better than to ask me that, Derek," Casey spat, going to her closet and pulling out clothes. "Even _you're_ not that stupid."

Derek clenched his fists. He would not let her get to him. He took a deep breath and moved closer. "Casey, I know I was an ass the other night, but that's no excuse for your behavior yesterday." He was _not_ going to apologize.

Casey moved around the room, grabbing clothes and getting madder by the minute. "Well, the great Derek Venturi has admitted that he's an ass. Call the media!"

"Dammit, Casey! Stop being such a bitch and listen to me!" Derek blurted out.

Casey threw the clothes that were in her arms down and stalked up to him until their faces were mere inches apart. "Stop calling me names! If this is your way of apologizing, you're doing a piss-poor job of it!" she huffed and went to move around him.

He stopped her progress with a hand on her wrist.

"Let go, Derek," Casey said, but her voice lacked the bite of before.

"Casey, please, let's talk about this . . ." Derek said, trying not to sound like he was begging.

"I'm done talking," she said, wrenching her arm away and heading out the door, leaving Derek there to wonder how things were going to get back to where they were before he had fucked up.

* * *

The ride to school was full of talk about the Homecoming dance, which was less than two weeks away. Casey mostly listened as Lizzie went on and on about how awesome her dress was and which kind of shoes she should get. Edwin said nothing, just happy to be in close proximity to Casey, who was sitting next to him in the passenger's seat.

"Ed, do you have a date for the dance yet?" Lizzie said, her eyes on his in the rearview mirror.

Edwin forced himself not to glance at Casey as he answered. "Uh, no, I haven't asked anyone yet." How could he tell his one stepsister that he wanted to go with her older sister, his _other_ stepsister? There _was_ no way to say it, so he kept quiet.

"Well, you should ask someone soon, before all the good girls are taken," Lizzie said with a smile in her voice.

Edwin huffed out a laugh. "Well, I don't know if I want to go or not."

Lizzie rolled her eyes. "Now you sound like Casey. What is it with you two? You both could get a date in a minute, yet you're acting like the dance is worse than going to the dentist for a root canal!"

Edwin and Casey glanced at each other briefly before both laughing awkwardly. "Liz, I get that you want us to go, but cool it, OK? If we wanted to go, we would ask someone to go." Casey said, trying not to lose her patience. She loved her sister, she really did, but Lizzie had to back off. She was pushing too hard.

"OK, OK, I'm sorry! I'll stop talking about it," Lizzie said with a hurt look on her face.

Casey almost turned around and apologized, but instead just sat silently staring ahead for the rest of the ride.

Once at school, Casey headed right for Emily and gave her a big hug, making her friend and neighbor smile widely. "Casey! What's this for?" she said over Casey's shoulder.

"Just to let you know that I'm thankful to have you as my friend," Casey said, squeezing Emily tight.

"Awww, well, thank you," Emily said, trying not to cry first thing in the morning.

"No problem," Casey said, moving back and smiling. "Come on, let's get to class," she said, grabbing Emily's arm and pulling her down the hallway.

Emily gave Casey a weird look, but followed her friend anyway. "Uh, Casey, we don't have first hour together."

Casey waved her other hand in the air. "I know, I just wanted to walk you to class, is that OK?" She said a little too brightly.

Emily narrowed her eyes. Something wasn't right here. "Casey . . . what is it you're not telling me?"

"What? Nothing!" Casey said, not fooling anybody.

"Casey . . ." Emily said with a warning in her voice.

Casey broke. "OK! Derek and I got into a fight yesterday and I'm trying to avoid him. He won't approach me if I'm with you," she said, her eyes darting around the hallway.

"Oh," Emily said, not able to come up with anything else to say. "Well, should I say that I hope you two make up? Or should I start running him down?" Emily asked, only half-joking.

Casey smiled. "Right now, just agree with me that he's an ass and I'll be happy."

"He's an ass," Emily said, smiling back.

Casey squeezed her friend's arm before heading to her own class, her eyes darting around like she expected Derek to jump out in front of her. She breathed a sigh of relief once she was in her seat in first hour and hoped that she could get through the day without another confrontation with her annoying stepbrother.

She was doing a good job of it when Noel approached her between third and fourth period. "Hey Case, how are you?" he asked in his typical laid-back way.

Casey looked up from where she was digging in her bag and smiled in surprise. "Noel! How are you? We haven't talked in forever, it seems like."

He smiled. "That's because we _haven't_ talked in like forever," he answered in a slightly mocking voice.

She raised her eyebrow but said nothing. They stood there awkwardly for a moment until Casey spoke. "So, is there something you needed?"

Noel shuffled his feet a bit and looked nervous. "Yeah, well, I wanted to ask you something."

Casey's eyes widened and she had an expression of 'And that is . . .?'

"So, I was wondering if you were going to the Homecoming dance, and if you don't already have a date, would you want to come with me because I think that we would have fun together . . ."

Casey held up her hand. "Noel, you're babbling."

He shut up and looked embarrassed, making Casey feel bad for him. "Oh, Noel, I don't know . . ."

"Hey, that's OK. You probably already have a date, right? I mean, you probably have a boyfriend that I don't know about. But I thought I would ask," he said not looking at her.

Casey sighed and put her hand on his arm, making him look at her. "Noel, I don't have a date for the dance, and I don't have a 'secret boyfriend'", she said with a slight smile. "The truth is, I haven't even thought about the dance."

Noel looked at her disbelievingly. "Really? Cuz all the senior girls I know have been thinking of nothing but," he said with a smirk on his face.

Casey laughed. "Well, I'm not like most girls."

He couldn't argue with that. "No, you're not," he said softly, looking deeply into her eyes.

With his intense gaze, Casey was taken back to when they did the play together, and the passionate way that Noel had eventually embraced his role. Casey had really appreciated the way that they worked together, and she honestly missed hanging out with him during the poetry readings and in Literature Club, both things that Casey had given up due to her increasingly busy social life. She returned his stare and made a split-second decision. "You know what, Noel? I _will_ go to the dance with you. I think we would have a great time together," she stated with a big smile on her face.

Noel looked at her like she was pulling his leg before breaking out in a big grin. In typical Noel fashion, however, he remained unruffled. "Excellent. I'll call you later to discuss the details, sound good?"

"Sounds great," she said, returning his coolness.

He smiled before turning and heading down the hall. Casey stood there staring after him before heading to her next class.

After school, Casey again caught a ride home with Edwin, still determined to avoid Derek like he was the plague. She had seen him a few times during the day, but only in passing between classes, and of course, in the few classes they had together. They sat on opposite sides of the lunchroom, and Casey ignored the looks that Derek was shooting her, pointedly facing away from him and engaging Emily and Kendra in conversation.

Since they were alone in the car, with Lizzie again catching a ride from Jamie, who recently got his driver's license and had a beater, Casey wanted to take advantage of the time they had together to tell Edwin about Noel and the dance. She took a deep breath and clenched her hands together on her lap.

"Hey Ed?" she asked trying to keep her voice calm.

He shot her glance before returning his eyes to the road. "Yeah?"

"Can we not go straight home?"

Edwin's brows went up, but he stared straight ahead. "Why don't you want to go home?"

Casey felt like she was going to throw up. She had no idea how Edwin would react to the fact that she had said yes to Noel. Well, she had a _little_ idea. "It's not that I don't want to go home, it's just . . . I thought we could go somewhere to talk for a bit." She held her breath and waited.

Edwin glanced at her from the corner of his eye and offered a slight smile. "Sure. Do you want to go to the park?"

"Yeah, that's fine," she answered, her nerves getting more frayed by the moment.

At the next intersection, Edwin hung a left toward the park and away from their home. He pulled into the parking area and cut the engine. Turning toward her, he said, "So what's up?"

Casey unbuckled her seatbelt and angled her body toward him. "Well, I wanted to tell you something without the whole family listening in."

He nodded and motioned for her to continue. His nerves were jumping as well, but he was doing a great job of hiding it.

"Noel Covington asked me to the Homecoming dance and I said yes," Casey blurted out quickly. She watched his face closely for a reaction.

Edwin sat there looking at her for a moment, his expression bland. Finally he seemed to snap himself out of it. "Well, I wasn't expecting that."

Casey nodded slightly. "I wanted to tell you before you found out from someone else. He asked me today, and on the spur of the moment, I accepted," she hastily added. "We're just friends, though. I don't have any feelings for him other than that."

Edwin nodded, staring at her intently. He looked away quickly before speaking again. "Well, I guess it wouldn't be fair to ask you to not go to your last Homecoming dance, and _I_ certainly can't take you."

Casey reached across the car seat and grasped his hand. "Edwin, I don't want to hurt you. Please say you're OK with this."

He looked at their clasped hands and brought his eyes to hers. "Casey, I'm OK with it. I trust you," he said so earnestly that it almost made Casey weep. He continued, "I want you to go and have a great time, OK?"

Casey suddenly found herself in his arms and choking back a sob. _What was with her and all the crying lately? _"Edwin, what did I ever do to deserve you?"

He chuckled into her hair. "You're just lucky, I guess."

"That I am," she said.

They moved apart and Edwin's expression changed. "So . . . if you're going with Noel . . . what would you say about me asking someone? You know, just as a friend?" he ventured, his eyes still on hers.

Casey was taken aback. She definitely hadn't expected this. A flash of jealousy ran through her but was gone quickly as she realized how unfair it would be to say he couldn't go when _she_ was. "Oh, um, is there someone you have in mind to ask?"

Edwin shook his head. "Nah, not really, but a few girls have asked me and I turned them down."

"Who asked you?" Casey asked accusingly.

He laughed slightly at her obvious jealousy. "Marie and a girl named Sarah."

"Oh yeah, I remember Marie," Casey said, her eyes unfocused in memory. "Do you want to go with either of them?"

"Well, Marie's already going with Teddy now, and I have no idea about Sarah," he said casually, but the look on Casey's face prompted him to go on. "They're just girls, Case. None of them mean anything to me. You're the only girl for me." He added deeply.

Casey nodded and brought her hand up to his face, gently caressing the skin of his lower lip. _'Why don't I feel the same way about him as he does me?'_ "Edwin, just like you said to me, I want you to go and have fun, OK?"

He grinned and the sight made Casey's heart melt. "Deal," he said, sticking out his hand to shake.

Laughing, Casey grabbed his hand and pulled him to her, and they hugged tightly. After a moment, Casey moved out of his arms and leaned forward, pecking him lightly on the mouth. Edwin looked surprised but pleased, and Casey smiled at him brilliantly before re-buckling her belt and saying "Home James," making Edwin laugh.

He did as she said, though, and started the car before heading toward home.

**Review please!**


	53. Chapter 53

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but crappy furniture.

**Chapter Fifty-Three: These Photos Are Killing Me!**

Three days later, the family was around the dinner table when Casey presented her case for the dance. Sure, she would be off punishment by then, but she had no money for a dress, and would need a loan from George and Nora to get one.

"So, I'm going to the dance after all," Casey said conversationally while spooning broccoli onto her plate.

Lizzie squealed. "Oh Casey! Who? Who asked you?" she inquired, practically bouncing in her seat.

Casey could feel Derek's eyes burning a hole into her from across the table but ignored him. "Noel Covington asked me a few days ago."

"Casey, that's awesome! He is _such_ a nice guy, and I _know_ he likes you," Lizzie said with a big smile on her face.

"How do you know that?" Edwin broke in, trying to appear casual.

Lizzie shrugged. "I know things. He's had a crush on Casey since they did that play together last year."

Edwin said nothing and continued to eat, but then decided to add, "Uh, I'm going too."

This brought another squeal from Lizzie. "Yes! I knew you two would come around. Oh, we're going to have such a great time!" she said clapping her hands, which made everyone but Derek smile. "So, who are you going with?" Lizzie asked Edwin while spearing a piece of chicken with her fork.

"I asked Amanda Jones yesterday." Edwin wasn't afraid of Casey's reaction because he had filled her in the day before. Like she did with him, he didn't want her to find out from someone else. He and Amanda were just friends, and she (Amanda) knew not to expect anything more.

Derek sat at the table in disbelief. His eyes darted from Casey to Edwin and back again. He knew that they couldn't act jealous of each other in front of the family, but their cavalier attitude was throwing Derek off balance. He felt out of the loop and he didn't like it – one bit.

"Well, Casey, that certainly sounds fun," Nora said cautiously.

Casey's eyes darted to her mother. They were still not on the best of terms, but things were improving. "So, mom, maybe I can talk to you a little later about my dress?" Casey asked expectantly.

Nora's eyes narrowed a bit, "We'll see, OK?"

Casey nodded, a bit crestfallen. "OK."

No one bothered to ask Derek if he was going to the dance because he had more than once stated he had no interest in going, and to "please stop asking me, thank you very much!"

The rest of the dinner went smoothly except for the looks that Derek kept shooting at Casey. She, however, was having none of it and was doing a fine job (if she said so herself!) of ignoring him.

Derek, as usual, finished first. "May I be excused?" he said, barely able to keep himself in his chair.

"Sure," George said distractedly, as he was in the middle of a fight with Marti over eating her vegetables. Marti _detested_ vegetables.

Derek nodded his head in thanks and headed upstairs. Once there, he grabbed his cell phone and called Sally. "Hey Sal," – a pause while he listened to her bitch him out for not calling for a few days – "I know, I know, but I think this'll make you happy. Remember the Homecoming dance that I didn't want to go to? Well, I changed my mind, and I want to take my best girl," – another pause while he listened to her scream with excitement – "I take it that's a yes? Excellent. I know we'll have a great time." – another pause – "I can't wait to see you in your dress. OK babe, yeah, I gotta go. I'll talk to you later. Bye."

Derek shut his phone and plopped on his bed. He smiled as he grabbed his headphones and slipped them over his ears. Turning on his ipod, Derek tried to drown out his thoughts of Casey with heavy metal.

_A few days later: _

Casey was in the mall on the prowl for the _absolute perfect_ dress. She smiled as she thought about how, after much begging, pleading, cajoling and promising to repay, she had succeeded in convincing her mother to loan her money for a dress:

_Casey squealed and jumped up and down before throwing her arms around Nora. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Casey said, making Nora smile in spite of herself._

_Nora moved away and held Casey at arm's length. "Now, don't make me regret this, Casey. I expect a little better behavior than we've had from you recently."_

_Casey nodded vigorously. "I know, mom, and you won't regret it, I promise!" she yelled before running up the stairs to call Emily. _

An hour later, Casey found it. The. Perfect. Dress. She was beginning to have her doubts. With every store she entered and exited without success, her hopes sank lower and lower. Even though she wasn't going to the dance with her "perfect man", she still wanted to knock his (and everyone else's) socks off. And Casey thought she would do it with this dress. Plus, she still had money left to get a pair of shoes and some jewelry to go with it! She went home with a smile on her face and hope that the Homecoming dance would be a night to remember.

_The night of the dance:_

Casey and Lizzie were in Casey's room putting the finishing touches on their attire. Earlier, they both had manicures and pedicures courtesy of Nora, who treated them as a surprise. "I just can't believe how fast my girls are growing up," she had said tearfully, making Casey and Lizzie shed tears also. The three had shared a hug until they were interrupted by George, who walked in, saw what was happening, and promptly turned around and went back out, causing Nora and the girls to start laughing. "Men will do anything to avoid emotions," Nora had said smiling.

Now, Casey was fussing over Lizzie's hair. "Liz, sit still! You don't want me to burn you, do you?"

Lizzie scowled at Casey in the mirror. "Case, you know deep down I'm a tomboy! I'm only dressing up like this for Jamie. I think he would like to see me a little girly-ed up once in a while."

Casey laughed. "Well, if he wanted a girly-girl, he wouldn't have gone for you, Liz, so I'm pretty sure he'll like you no matter what."

Lizzie smiled. "Yeah, you're right. OK, I admit it, I'm kind of getting into all this dress-up stuff."

Casey pretended to be shocked. "No! Really?"

"Oh, shut it," Lizzie snapped, but her eyes were smiling.

Meanwhile, Edwin was in his attic bedroom struggling to tie his bowtie. "Dammit!" he yelled, pulling it off and throwing it on the floor.

"Need help son?" George said from the doorway, making Edwin jump.

He looked at his dad for a moment before answering. "Uh, sure, that would be great."

George smiled and moved into the room. Bending down, he grabbed the tie off the floor and shook it off. "Come here."

Edwin obeyed and went to stand in front of George. His eyes looked at everything in the room but the man in front of him.

"So, I've never met Amanda. Are you two . . . dating?" George asked as he tied the fabric around Edwin's neck.

Edwin shook his head. "We're just friends, dad."

"I see," George said before stepping back. "There, all set," he said with a big smile on his face. "You look good, Ed. We Venturis clean up nice."

The younger Venturi laughed. "That we do. Thanks dad," Edwin said, clapping George on the shoulder.

"No problem, son," George replied as they headed downstairs. "Now, about tonight, make sure you compliment Amanda on how she looks, or else she'll make your night miserable. Also, when you're at a table – any table – with her, make sure when she stands, you stand," George tapped his chin as they continued to descend the stairs. "Oh, and let her sit down first before pushing her chair back in for her. I made the mistake once of doing it the opposite way, and my date was horrified! I didn't even get a goodnight kiss . . ."

Edwin laughed. "Dad," his voice caused George to stop and look at him. "I appreciate the advice, I really do, but I think I can handle it."

George studied his son's face for a moment before nodding. "Of course. You're right, I'm sorry. It's just . . . it's your first High School dance and I just assumed that you wouldn't know what the hell you're doing because _I_ didn't know what the hell _I_ was doing when I was your age. Derek probably told you everything you need to know, huh?"

This made Edwin laugh even harder. "Derek? Yeah right, dad. The only thing he told me was 'Don't knock your date up.'" George's eyes got wide and Edwin continued. "Besides, even if he did give me advice, it's not like I would listen to _him_. He may get a lot of dates, but he never seems to keep them for long."

George thought about that. "Well, I just assumed that was because Derek didn't _want_ to keep them. Are you telling me they all dump _him_ and not the other way around?"

Edwin shook his head. "No, I'm not saying that, but he didn't break up with _all_ of them, I know that."

George shook his head and laughed. "Well, I guess even Derek has woman problems."

"Don't we all," Edwin said, thinking of one woman in particular.

Edwin collected his wallet and keys and looked around, feeling like he was forgetting something. His hunch was confirmed when Marti appeared with Amanda's corsage. "Here ya go, Edwin. You don't want to forget this," she said sweetly, handing the container over to him.

He smiled. "Thanks Marti. You're right, I almost did forget it."

Marti returned his smile. "I wish I could see you put it on her," she said, her features clouding over.

Edwin reached forward and pulled her to him. "I'm sorry, sis. But we don't have enough time for me to pick her up and bring her back here before our reservations. But I'll show you the pictures later. Amanda said her mom would be taking enough for everyone."

Marti brightened at that. "OK!" she said before skipping off into the living room to wait for the others to make their appearance.

Edwin loitered in the kitchen hoping to see Casey before he left, but as he glanced at the clock, he knew that if she didn't come down in one minute, he would have to leave without seeing her. He didn't like that thought, but the fact that he knew he would be seeing her at the dance made it a little better. Of course, she would be with someone else, but he could still go over and socialize. He smiled before calling out, "Dad, Nora, I'm heading out! I'll see you later!"

He was almost out the door when he heard, "Edwin! Wait! I want to take your picture!" Nora said, running up from the basement. She skidded to a halt in front of him. "Whew!" she said, holding her stomach, which was quite large. "I guess I shouldn't have done that," she said looking up at him with a smile.

He smiled back. "Yeah, probably not."

Edwin stood still while Nora fired off a few pictures, pulling George and Marti in a for a couple. He had to beg off when she mentioned going upstairs and getting Lizzie, Derek and Casey for a family photo. "I'm sorry Nora, but I really need to head out. Amanda's expecting me in like 10 minutes."

Nora frowned but nodded. "OK, well, you have a great time tonight. And please tell Amanda to email copies of the pictures, will you?"

"Will do," Edwin said, returning the hug she was offering. Next, he did a manly handshake/hug combo with his dad.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do, son," George said under his breath, which made Edwin snicker. "Be home by one!" he called out.

"Got it," Edwin said before he left.

Minutes later, Derek bounded down the stairs in a classic outfit of black suit and tie, along with a white shirt. His hair was artfully sculpted in his regular messy way, and he had actually rented a pair of shiny black shoes.

Nora and George encountered him in the kitchen. "Wow, Derek, you look very handsome," Nora said, grabbing her camera.

Derek put up a hand, "No pictures, Nora, please?"

Nora smirked and snapped one anyway. "I'm sorry, sweetie, but it's in a mother's contract that if any of her children go to a dance, wedding, recital, birthday party, or any other occasion, they get to take photos. So you might as well smile," she snapped another one before adding, "plus, we didn't even know you were going until a few days ago. Are you bringing Sally back here for pictures?" Nora asked hopefully.

Derek shook his head. "I can't, sorry," he said flatly, not willing to elaborate.

Nora sighed. "OK. I'll say the same thing to you as I did Edwin: Make sure to tell Sally to email me copies of her pictures, OK?"

Derek nodded distractedly. "Sure, sure," he said, patting down his suit.

"What are you looking for?" George asked him.

"My keys. Where's the keys to the Prince?" he asked no one in particular.

"I don't know. Maybe Casey has them," Nora said. "I'll go ask her." She headed up the stairs, one hand on the banister, the other on her stomach.

George took the opportunity to give Derek some advice. "OK son, I'll bypass all the stuff I told Edwin and just tell you that I expect you home by 2 a.m. No drinking, no drugs, no sex," George rattled off, his eyes pinning Derek's.

"You don't want me to have _any_ fun, do you?" Derek said, only half-joking.

The front doorbell rang, and George rolled his eyes at Derek before he headed to the living room to answer it.

"Smerek!" Marti's voice came from behind him.

Derek turned. "Yes, Smarti?"

She stood in front of him with Sally's corsage. "I swear, if it weren't for me, both you and Edwin would've forgotten your date's corsages."

Derek grabbed the container from her. "Well, that's why we have you around," he joked, ruffling her hair.

"I suppose I'm not going to see Sally's dress either," Marti pouted, crossing her arms.

Derek frowned a bit. "No, Smarti, you're not. I'm sorry," he said, making sure to catch her eye. "But I'm sure the next time that Sally's over she'll show you the pics, OK?"

"Yeah, yeah," Marti said, going around him to the living room where Jamie was chatting with George and Nora.

Nora was fussing over him. "My, my . . . Jamie, you sure look handsome," she said, making Derek roll his eyes behind her.

Jamie's face reddened. "Thank you, Mrs. Venturi," he said formally.

George came to stand next to Nora and watched as she snapped a few pictures of Jamie standing by the door. "Jamie, why don't you stand next to Derek so I can get a few pictures of you handsome men together."

Derek groaned. "Can we not? I have to get going."

Nora frowned, making George shoot Derek a glare. "Derek, I'm sure Sally won't mind if you take a few minutes to pose for pictures."

Derek sighed and watched Jamie approach to stand next to him. They shared a brief nod before posing. The flash from Nora's camera was starting to blind Derek. "Just one more, OK?" Derek pleaded.

"Oh stop whining, Derek," George said good-naturedly.

She shot a few more pictures before Derek moved. "Did you find the keys?" he asked Nora.

"They're on the end table," Nora said, motioning to the table next to the couch.

"Thanks," Derek said, grabbing them and moving toward the front door. "Well, I'm outta here. Laters," he threw over his shoulder carelessly, his hand on the knob. Movement from the corner of his eye made him pause and he turned to see Lizzie heading down the stairs. He found himself smiling at her as she slowly made her way down, no doubt trying not to trip on her dress. (He only knew this because he had overheard her and Casey talking about it the previous day).

Derek shot a look at Jamie. His eyes were fixed on Lizzie and he was sporting a huge grin. Her dress fit her perfectly, and in fact, looked like it had been made just for her. Lizzie had her hair down, but it was curled prettily and had little sparkly butterfly clips in it, which contrasted nicely with the darkness of her hair. She was wearing light make-up, which Derek wasn't used to seeing on her, but he approved. Lizzie was definitely growing up.

"Oh, Lizzie," Nora said, her voice choking up. George put an arm around her and Marti moved to her other side, leaning her head against Nora. Lizzie reached the landing and Jamie moved forward, holding out his hand for Lizzie to take. She gave him a brilliant smile and grasped it, taking the last few steps.

"Wow," Jamie breathed, his eyes drinking her in.

"You look very nice," Lizzie said to him shyly.

Jamie blushed and ducked his head. He was wearing a black suit with a light blue shirt in the same shade as Lizzie's dress. His tie was dark blue. "Thanks, you look beautiful Lizzie."

She smiled and moved to kiss his cheek, making Nora say, "Hold it!" before clicking a picture of the kiss.

Lizzie and Jamie moved apart and she was obviously embarrassed. "Mom!" she said, her face tinted pink. Just then, she noticed Derek standing near the door. "Hey Derek, you look nice."

Derek looked down at himself before focusing on her. "Yeah, thanks. You too," he said smiling slightly. Truthfully, he thought that Lizzie looked beautiful, but he would never tell _her_ that. "You heading out?" she asked.

"Uh, yeah," Derek answered, but he made no move to leave. After seeing Lizzie, he was dying to see how Casey looked. Because if Lizzie was beautiful, then Casey had to be _stunning_. There was no doubt in his mind, but he wanted to stay and verify.

Lizzie nodded and turned her attention back to Jamie, who had presented her with her corsage and was slipping it over her wrist. Everyone "ooohed" and "aaaahed" and Derek pretended to be interested while hoping that Casey would get her butt down there soon.

Just then, the doorbell rang again, making Derek jump. He opened it to find Noel standing there, Casey's corsage in hand. "Noel," he said, nodding and standing aside to let him in.

"Derek," Noel returned coolly. They weren't enemies, but they weren't exactly friends either.

Derek shut the door behind him and watched as Noel greeted the family and Jamie. He also made a point to compliment Lizzie on her appearance, which made her smile widely and return the gesture.

Noel was dressed in all black, except for the shiny silver tie, which made Derek wonder even more what Casey's dress was like. He didn't have to wait as he glimpsed her out of the corner of his eye moving, no _gliding_, down the stairs.

Derek's breath caught in his throat and the world narrowed to just him and her. She seemed to float down the stairs, and Derek could swear that everything was moving in slow motion. He distantly heard the gasps coming from the women as they watched Casey's descent.

Casey had watched from upstairs as Lizzie had made her way down the stairs, not wanting to horn in on the moment.

She waited until Noel was there, then headed downstairs. She could feel everyone's eyes on her and she tried not to trip, or worse yet, fall. Her gaze found Noel and she smiled sweetly at his expression, which was thunderstruck, to say the least. Casey hoped that was a good thing. She thought it was, seeing as how he was now sporting a huge grin. Casey's gaze shifted to her mother, who was clutching George with one hand and her camera in the other. Her eyes were filled with tears, but she was smiling widely. Marti was beside her, practically jumping up and down, her hands covering her mouth, no doubt to keep from squealing, which would no doubt make Casey tumble the rest of the way down. Lizzie was standing next to Jamie and they both had smiles on their faces, although Lizzie's eyes held a special gleam in them just for Casey.

Casey smiled at everyone before settling on Derek, whose gaze she felt the heaviest and most intensely. He stood apart from the others, and she couldn't help but run her eyes over him. He looked beyond delicious in his suit. She noticed everything, especially his shiny shoes, which made her smile inwardly. Not wanting to tip anyone else to her feelings, she made sure to keep her expression neutral. But inwardly, her heart was thumping and she could feel the current that flowed between them. Derek's eyes trailed down her body, and she imagined them touching her as if it were his hands caressing her skin.

Derek's heart felt like it was going to pound out of his chest. Casey was wearing a black sequined bodice maxi dress that went to the floor and accentuated her bust. Beneath the filmy material, he could make out the silver heels that she wore which contrasted nicely with her dress. He moved his eyes back up to her bare shoulders, which were bathed in sprinkles, no doubt from that frou-frou lotion she and Lizzie had purchased the other day at the mall. (Again, another incident of eavesdropping gave him this information, since Casey hadn't spoken to him in a week.) She wore diamond drop earrings in her ears (courtesy of Nora), and her hair was pinned up, showcasing the long expanse of her neck. A few tendrils of hair were left free around her face, softening the effect of her up-do. But it was her face that floored him. Sure, it was the same-old Casey, but _not_. Her eyes were shimmery on the lids but smoky below, making them stand out. Her cheeks bore the faintest tinge of blush and her lips were painted in a sheer gloss that made him want to claim them right then and there. Their eyes met and Derek felt himself instantly harden. He quickly shifted his jacket and hoped nobody noticed. They didn't.

Casey took a deep breath and found herself on the landing taking Noel's hand as he helped her the rest of the way down. "Casey, you look exquisite," Noel said deeply, making Casey smile.

"Thank you, Noel, as do you," she said formally. He smiled and presented her with her corsage, which was a mixture of greens and little white roses. "They're beautiful, thank you," she murmured as he slipped it on to her wrist.

"Casey, you look stunning," George said, stealing Derek's word.

"Thank you, George," she replied.

"Oh Casey," Nora breathed, moving out of George's clasp and aiming her camera. "Smile!" she said before snapping the picture.

Casey smiled and tried to see through the spots that the flash had given her. "Mom, wait until I'm ready, OK?"

"Oh, right," Nora said apologetically.

Casey arranged herself next to Noel and stood obediently while Nora clicked off shots. Nora took pictures of Casey and Noel together, followed by Casey, Noel, Lizzie and Jamie, and finally, they convinced Derek to get in on one of them. He stood next to Noel awkwardly, trying not to grimace as Nora took the shot. They were just breaking apart when Nora exclaimed, "Oh, before you all leave," she paused as groans came from Lizzie, Casey and Derek, "I would like to take a few pictures of just the McDonald/Venturi kids."

Lizzie looked around and seemed to just now notice Edwin's absence. "Ed leave already?"

"Yeah," George said. "He and Amanda had an early reservation somewhere."

Casey was a bit disappointed that she didn't get to see Edwin before he left, but she figured she would see him at the dance later. Nora's voice broke her thoughts.

"So . . . Casey, Derek and Lizzie, stand over there," Nora said, pointing toward the far wall.

Casey and Lizzie immediately started moving while Derek shuffled a bit slower, coming to stand on the other side of Lizzie. Nora grinned and said, "Come on, kids, give me your best smiles!" The 'snap' of the camera going a mile a minute. "Good," Nora said, lowering her camera. "Now, Derek, you stand aside for a moment and let me get just the girls."

He opened his mouth to argue but stopped when he caught sight of the look on his father's face. He said nothing and did what Nora wanted, making Casey smirk a bit. He ignored it and averted his eyes, instead focusing them on Casey's toes, which peeked out from the hem of her dress. He usually didn't find women's feet attractive, but even the blood-red shade of her nail polish made Derek hot under the collar. He self-consciously shifted himself again and wished Nora would hurry up.

"Derek! Pay attention!" Nora's voice said loudly, making Derek whip his head up.

"What?" he asked somewhat testily.

Nora sighed. "Would you please stand next to Lizzie? I want a photo of just the two of you."

Derek nodded and dutifully moved where she wanted him to. "Good, good," Nora said absently as she clicked away on her camera. "Put your arm around her," Nora ordered and he silently obeyed. "Great," Nora said, lowering her camera. "Liz, you're all set," Nora said before turning to Derek and Casey, who were standing awkwardly waiting for instructions. "OK, you two. Do you think you can pose for a few pictures without killing each other?"

Derek and Casey looked at each other but said nothing. Their eyes seemed to hold a silent conversation before they wordlessly stood next to each other. Nora took this as acceptance and smiled widely. "Great!" she chirped before snapping off more pictures. "OK, you know the drill," she said, motioning for them to get closer.

Casey started when she felt Derek's hand on her hip and she hoped he couldn't feel her shaking. The spot where his hand rested felt unbearably warm on her body and she became short of breath. "Good, good," Nora said, still snapping pictures. "Casey," she barked out, "Put your arm around your brother, he won't bite," she said, putting an image of Derek biting her in her head, which made Casey's stomach flutter. Needing to get air, but trying not to gasp, Casey wound her arm around Derek's waist and settled her hand on it. She could feel how tense he was through the fabric of his jacket, but she didn't dare turn her head to look. "Loosen up, you two! You look like you're going to a funeral, not a dance!" Nora chided, making Marti snicker.

Casey let out a breath and consciously tried to relax. She involuntarily clasped Derek's jacket in her hand when she felt him moving away and she could see out of the corner of her eye that he turned to glance at her before sidling closer. Their hips were touching and Casey swore that she felt a tingle down the length of her leg. An image from the night in his room entered Casey's mind and she could see them together in Derek's bed, Casey covering Derek's body with her own, moving together, the friction of their bodies sending sparks through her and settling between her legs. "Casey, you look flushed, are you OK?" Nora asked her, making Casey snap her head toward her mother.

"Uh, I'm OK, I just think we've got enough pictures for now, don't you Derek?" she asked him pointedly.

Derek's gaze met hers and the look there made a bolt of want flow through her. The heat in his gaze made Casey's pulse pick up and she hoped no one would notice. "Yes," Derek said, tearing his eyes away from her and directing them at Nora. "We're done here," he said efficiently ending the prolonged photo shoot.

Nora nodded. "Well, I'm happy. You kids all look so nice. I really appreciate you taking the time to make your old mother happy," Nora said, once again tearing up. "I'm sorry," she said through tears. "It must be all the pregnancy hormones," she added, wiping the tears from her face.

George moved to her side and took the camera, setting it on the dining table before coming back to wrap his arm around his wife. "That's OK, honey, right kids? You didn't mind doing that for Nora, did you?" he asked, his voice saying "Go with me on this – she's already upset!"

"Right!" "No problem!" "It was nothing," They all said together, smiling automatically.

Nora nodded and waved them off. "OK, you'd better leave before I change my mind and want more pictures."

With that, the kids gathered their keys and wallets (in Derek, Jamie and Noel's case), and their wraps and clutches (in Casey and Lizzie's case) and headed out the door. "Be safe!" Nora called as she, George and Marti watched them go.

The young adults turned and waved before getting into their respective vehicles and heading into the night.

**AN: To see the dress that Casey's wearing, click here: http: // www. edressme. com / 4873. html #. ****(Without the spaces, of course!) Just imagine her face instead of the model's.**

**Review please!**


	54. Chapter 54

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but a broken Atari game system.

**Chapter Fifty-Four: Homecoming Part I**

Casey looked around at the gym and was amazed by its transformation. To the left was the "bar" where punch and soft drinks were being served. Directly opposite them, behind the dance floor, was the deejay, a.k.a., the shop teacher, Mr. Fallon. Streamers and balloons in the colors of silver and purple were strung up and there were 15 or 20 round tables scattered about that were covered by what looked like real linen tablecloths! Casey was impressed. She also noticed the lack of "worn sneaker" smell that usually was associated with this room.

Eager to dance, Casey turned to Noel and noticed the grimace on his face. "Noel? What's the matter?"

He turned to look at her. "Uh, I guess I'm a bit more nervous about dancing than I thought I would be."

Casey smiled and grabbed his hand. "Hey, remember the play last year?"

He nodded and looked even more petrified.

Casey giggled. "Well, this will be nothing like that. Tonight, all you have to do is put your arms around me and move in a circle, OK?"

He looked relieved and smiled. "I think I can handle that."

"Good," Casey said before pulling him forward to find a place to sit. She spotted Kendra and her date, Brian, and went over to them.

"Hey Kendra."

"Casey! Hi!" Kendra practically jumped up and gave Casey a big hug. "Wow, you look great. I love your dress!"

Casey looked down at herself. "Thanks. You look great too," she replied, taking in the short hot pink dress that Kendra was wearing. "Hey Brian," Casey added.

Brian looked disinterested in the festivities. "Hey," he carelessly said back, making Casey frown a bit.

"You look nice, Noel," Kendra said, running her eyes over him.

"Uh, thanks," he said, obviously uncomfortable with the attention.

Casey gestured to the table. "Can we sit with you?"

Kendra hesitated and looked at Brian, who just shrugged his shoulders. "Uh, yeah, that would be awesome!"

Casey smiled slightly and went to pull out the chair but Noel got to it first. "Let me, milady," he said gallantly.

She threw him a dazzling smile. 'He is such a gentleman!' "Thank you, kind sir," Casey said.

After getting Casey settled, Noel took the seat next to her. "Wow, they really cleaned this place up, didn't they?" he marveled as his eyes traveled over the room.

"I know. I can't believe it. It doesn't even smell like sweat," Casey said, making Noel and Kendra laugh. Brian smirked, but said nothing. Casey was a bit put-off by his attitude, but decided not to let it bother her. Her eyes scanned the room, picking out her friends and silently rating the girls' outfits. Short and skimpy seemed to be the reigning theme, and Casey couldn't help but be pleased that she chose a different style. At least she knew that Noel liked it, as he couldn't keep his eyes off her all during dinner, and told her at least 10 times how gorgeous she looked.

"Casey, would you like something to drink?" he asked.

"Sure, that would be nice, thanks," she said, smiling at him briefly before continuing her examination of the room. Subconsciously, she was looking for Edwin, as she hadn't seen him yet. A few times she thought she saw him, but it always turned out to be someone else. Casey sighed and slipped off her wrap, getting comfortable as she listened to Kendra's chatter. Obviously, she figured that Casey needed to be caught up on all the school's gossip and launched into a detailed account of so-and-so's love lives, which Casey only half-heard.

Noel returned shortly with two glasses of punch and Casey smiled graciously before taking hers. A few minutes later, she and Noel watched as Kendra dragged Brian out onto the dance floor. Casey looked up and spotted the disco ball. She was mesmerized by the lights hitting it and the way it spun around the room. Entranced, she continued to stare at it, her mind wandering, when she felt a hand on her arm. "Casey?"

She turned and noticed Noel gripping her arm. "Yes?" she asked sweetly.

"Would you like to dance?" he asked shyly, making Casey's heart melt. He really was a sweet guy, who must have liked her _a lot_ to ask her to the dance, even though he hated dancing.

"I would love to dance," Casey replied, taking his hand and following him to the dance floor. She exchanged smiles with Kendra before moving into Noel's arms. The song was one of those slow R&B ballads that Casey didn't usually listen to, but the beat was nice. Wrapping her arms around Noel's neck, she smiled and tried to make him relax. "Noel, it's OK," she said softly before starting to move.

He gulped visibly before following her lead. "I'm afraid I'm going to step on your feet," he said, looking down.

"Noel," her voice made his head snap back up. "Relax. It's me, alright? We're friends. You don't have to prove anything. Let's just have fun. We're not here to win any dance contests," she said trying to make him smile.

It worked. A grin came over his face and he grasped her tighter. "I'm glad we're here together."

"Me too," Casey said sincerely. If she couldn't have her "perfect guy" – which, right now, she had no idea who that would be anyway – the next best person was Noel. He was sweet, cute, smart and sensitive. It's just too bad that she felt nothing for him but friendship. 'Damn Derek!' she thought to herself before she banished that thought. She was bound and determined to have a great time tonight, and nothing was going to stand in her way!

* * *

Derek and Sally pulled into the school parking lot and he cut the engine. Getting out, he went around the car and opened the door for her, holding his hand out for her to take.

Sally smiled and accepted it before they headed for the entrance of the school. "Dinner was very nice, Derek. I half-expected you to take me to a drive-thru," she said jokingly.

Derek was irritated but he didn't show it. All night, Sally had been giving him back-handed compliments, no doubt still a little miffed that he had let a few days lapse without calling her. He sighed and gave her a slight smile. "Well, I was going to do that, but I wanted to surprise you." He was trying to kill her with kindness, which seemed to make her want to insult him even more. 'What is it with women? They get mad when you don't treat them good, but when you do, they're still not happy!' he shrugged to himself and continued to walk in silence next to her.

"Derek, slow down, will you? I'm going to trip on these heels!" Sally whined.

He stopped and ran his eyes over her again. She was wearing a pale yellow dress that had an empire waist and fell to just above her knees. Her hair was down, but she had the sides pinned back, and on her feet were a pair of ridiculously high black stilettos. Derek thought she looked nice, until you got to her feet, which kind of ruined the innocent look and made it more into "Pollyanna Turns Prostitute."

Derek let out a snort, which made Sally shoot a glare at him. "What's so funny?" she said, grabbing his arm and pulling them along again.

He shook his head. "Nothing."

She sighed. "Derek, let's not fight tonight, OK? I just want to have a good time."

He glanced at her, his face softening. "Yeah, OK. I'm sorry," he said lowly.

Sally turned to him and beamed. It wasn't often that she heard him apologize. She threw her arms around him and said into his ear. "Oh, Derek, you know I can never stay mad at you for long. If you're good tonight, I'll give you a _nice_ reward."

He moved back and searched her face, which was sporting a sultry smirk. Before he would have been hard as a rock and wouldn't have hesitated to take what he wanted right there. Now, he barely felt anything, and _that_ made him pause. 'What's happening to me?' he wondered. He didn't have to wonder long. He knew what was wrong, and it was right there in front of him, on the dance floor with her date.

Derek's eyes zoomed in on Casey and he felt his skin tingle and his face burn. She had her arms around Noel's neck and they seemed to be deep in conversation judging by how fast her mouth was moving. 'Poor guy,' Derek thought. 'She's probably talking his ear off about some school thing she wants him to help her with.'

"Derek, let's grab a table. Do you see anyone you want to sit with?" Sally said from his right.

He looked around until he spotted Sam, Ralph and their dates at a table in the corner. They spotted him at the same time and Ralph stood up and waved his arms. "Dude! Over here!" he yelled, making the people around him stare in annoyance.

Derek chuckled and headed over, Sally in tow.

Casey stiffened in Noel's arms when she caught sight of Derek and Sally making their way across the room. Her eyes jumped ahead to their destination and she spied Sam, Ralph and their dates. Casey smiled slightly as her eyes rested on Sam. He looked handsome in a dark navy suit and white shirt. His date, Anna, was a new student at Thompson High, having transferred from a parochial school.

Her eyes then settled on Sally, who was standing next to Derek chatting with Ralph, or rather, he was chatting with her. 'She looks OK, I suppose,' Casey thought cattily while moving in Noel's arms.

"Casey, you should start coming back to Poetry Club," Noel was saying as she was busy shooting daggers at Sally.

She swung her gaze back to Noel. "Yeah, I know. Things have been really crazy lately. Maybe I'll rejoin after the holidays." Just then, she noticed Lizzie and Jamie arrive. When their eyes met, the two sisters shared a wave. "Lizzie looks so nice, don't you think?" she asked Noel.

Noel swung Casey around so he could see. "Yeah, she does. Did you help her with her hair?"

Casey looked at Noel in surprise. "Yeah, I did. How did you know?"

He laughed. "I have sisters, Casey. It's just something they do."

Casey nodded knowingly. Noel was great that way. He wasn't afraid to express his "feminine" side.

The song changed to a fast one and Casey and Noel broke apart and went back to their table. Kendra was there chatting up Amy, who, when she noticed Casey's approach, beat a hasty retreat. Casey's eyes followed her departure, but she remained silent.

Kendra looked uncomfortable as Casey and Noel took their seats. "So! Are you two having fun?" she asked a little too brightly.

"Well, I can't speak for my beautiful date, but I'm having a great time," Noel said, slipping his arm around Casey's shoulders.

Casey leaned into Noel's embrace. "I'm having fun, too."

Kendra smiled. "Good. Well, I'm gonna try to track down my date. He disappeared on me . . . again," she said wistfully before leaving.

Casey stared after her for a moment before taking a sip of her now-warm punch. Her eyes found Amy again and Casey was shocked at how emaciated Amy was. Her burgundy thigh-high dress hung off her shoulders limply, and Casey could see the bones of her back poking through her skin, which was pale. The bones of her ankles didn't even look strong enough to hold her weight, which Casey estimated to be about 85 pounds. From the back Amy looked like a puppet. All that was missing was the strings.

"She doesn't look too good, does she?" Noel said in her ear, following her gaze.

Casey turned and looked at him. "No, she doesn't. She's got to be sick or something, don't ya think?" Casey didn't like Amy for sure, but in spite of that, she was actually starting to worry about her. She wondered where Max was.

"I don't know," Noel said, shaking his head. "Although she does have a reputation for partying pretty hard. I guess it's possible that she might have caught something," he said, his eyes meeting hers.

Casey shuddered, thinking about _that night_. "Yeah, I guess you never know," she said faintly before changing the subject. "So, Noel . . . are you ready to brave a fast song and come shake it with me?"

Noel looked like a deer caught in the headlights. "Uh, I don't think so. I'll gladly sit here and watch, though."

Casey smiled. "Well, I think I'm gonna go chat with Liz. Do you mind? Or would you like to come with me?"

Noel smiled. "No, you go ahead. I see some people I'd like to talk to."

They rose together and he reached forward to squeeze her hand. "Don't be too long, though, OK? I want everyone to know that the most beautiful girl in the room is with _me_."

Casey blushed before leaving.

Derek watched her from across the room as she made her way to Lizzie. They shared a hug and Casey sat down next to her at the table, where they entered into a spirited conversation. Lizzie was no doubt regaling Casey about her dinner and vice versa. Derek's eyes darted around the room, but they always found their way back to _her_. He sighed and tried in vain to get interested in whatever Ralph was babbling about now. Sneaking a discreet glance at Sally, he could tell she was reaching her limit. In a rare show of sympathy, he decided to take pity on her. "Hey Sal, wanna dance?"

Sally turned to look at him, intending to bitch him out about how non-romantic his offer was, but once she saw the expression on his face – he looked, dare she say, sincere – she smiled and accepted his offer. Together they moved to the dance floor and Derek tried not to let his eyes wander to Casey lest Sally catch on.

* * *

"Amanda, it's OK. We're not that late," Edwin said, trying to comfort his upset date. Even though they had early reservations, the restaurant was backed up, and Edwin and Amanda ended up waiting an hour for a table. With every minute that went by, Amanda became more and more distressed, so that by the time dinner was actually served, Edwin had to spend the rest of the time trying to calm her down.

They entered the gym and Edwin's eyes immediately started scanning the room for _her_. He could feel Amanda fidgeting beside him. "Mandy, you OK?" Edwin asked putting a hand on her arm.

She took a deep breath and looked at him. A smile crept onto her face. "Yeah, I just need to chill out a bit after the whole dinner fiasco. Why don't we find a table and relax," she said, slipping her arm through his.

"OK," Edwin said, leading the way.

* * *

Derek's hand involuntarily moved up and down Sally's back as he moved with her around the gym floor. He said hello to yet another person and tried not to stare at Casey. She was so beautiful that it almost hurt to look at her. His eyes wandered and he noticed Edwin and his date . . . 'what's her name?' . . . near the entrance. She was talking to another girl and he was . . . _staring at Casey_. Derek frowned. He knew exactly how his brother felt. 'How did we get into this?' he wondered.

* * *

Edwin sucked in a breath as he caught his first glimpse of Casey. He had never seen her look so beautiful. From her dress to her hair to her skin, she was nothing short of perfection. His stomach dropped to his feet when she suddenly turned and looked straight at him. Their gazes held for a moment before she smiled. Excusing herself from Lizzie and Jamie, she made her way over to him. He licked his lips and waited.

"Hey Ed. You look great," Casey said, looking him up and down.

"Thanks," Edwin replied, his eyes on hers. "You look . . ." he couldn't think of a word that would justify how good she looked. He shook his head and Casey laughed.

"Uh, thanks, I think," she said. They stood there in silence for a while longer before she initiated a conversation. "So, how's your date going?"

Edwin self-consciously smoothed his hands over his jacket. "It's, uh, going well."

Casey nodded and looked around. "Where _is_ your date?"

"She's right . . ." he turned to indicate where she was _supposed_ to be but came up empty. He turned back to Casey. "Well, she _was_ right here."

Casey giggled, making Edwin's toes curl. "Edwin, I think you should get a leash for her or something."

He smiled. "I'm sure she would love that."

Just then, Amanda appeared beside him. "Hey Ed. Sorry I took off like that. I saw a friend of mine and wanted to say hi." Her eyes focused on Casey. "Hey Casey," Amanda said smiling.

"Hi Amanda. You look great," Casey said, her eyes flicking to Amanda's dress, which was a strapless deep red number that flowed to just above her knees.

"Thanks. You too. I absolutely _love_ that dress," Amanda said, looking a bit envious.

Casey smiled. "Thanks." Her eyes wandered and she noticed that Noel was sitting alone at their table. "Well, I should get back to my date. I'll see you later," she said before turning away.

"Yeah, see ya," Edwin said, his eyes following her.

Amanda grabbed his hand, breaking his gaze. "Come on, Ed. Let's dance," she said, pulling him to the dance floor.

_A few hours later:_

Noel watched as Casey danced all the fast songs with Kendra and Lizzie. He was enjoying the fact that she was having a good time. She smiled and waved at him, beckoning him to come join her on the dance floor. He smiled and shook his head. Casey threw back her head and laughed, and Noel thought he had never seen anything as beautiful as her at that moment.

* * *

Sally wasn't stupid. She knew she was losing Derek. Their increased fighting and the fact that he was distracted all the time were giant red flags. She had done a little nosing around, and determined that he wasn't interested in any of the girls at Smelly Nellie's. That basically left school, and since Sally had already graduated, it made it really hard for her to figure out who Derek could be interested in or seeing behind her back. It's not like she could storm in there and question every girl to see whether or not they were cheating with her boyfriend. Sally sighed and observed Derek, who, even as he sat very close to her, his expression told her he was a million miles away. He wasn't even laughing at Sam's and Ralph's dirty jokes! She tried to follow his gaze, but it was impossible to tell who he was looking at. The dance floor was crowded with girls. She sighed loudly, hoping to get his attention. Of course, it didn't work. She rose from the table. "I'm going to the ladies room, Derek. I'll be back." He didn't even acknowledge her. Suddenly fighting back tears, Sally turned and left.

"Dude, I think you upset your girlfriend," Sam said to Derek a moment later.

He tore his eyes away from Casey. "What?"

Sam shook his head. "I said," he drew out the word, "I think you upset Sally."

Derek looked confused. "Why would you say that?"

"Uh, because she was talking to you and you were ignoring her?" Sam asked as if it were obvious.

Derek scoffed. "You don't know what you're talking about Sam."

His friend snorted. "Whatever, dude. But if I were you, I would go after her and do some serious ass-kissing or else you ain't getting _none_ tonight."

Derek rolled his eyes. _As if he cared about getting any from Sally_. He stopped short. 'Why _don't_ I care?' He shook his head and searched the room for his girlfriend. She _was_ still his girlfriend, but he was quickly realizing that he had to end it. Staying in a relationship with Sally wasn't fair to her _or_ him. But he wasn't going to do it tonight. He would wait until the next day or so before breaking it off. He knew in his heart that it was the right thing to do. Even if he didn't have feelings for Casey . . .

That was something to ponder: If he didn't have feelings for Casey, would he stay with Sally? A month ago, the answer would have been a resounding 'Yes.' But now he wasn't so sure. He was so damn confused! The only thing he _did_ know was that Sally didn't deserve to be treated badly. He got up and went to find her.

**AN: OK, this dance sequence turned out to be a monster, so I decided to split it up. Don't worry, I basically have the next chapter written, so it won't be a long wait for another update. **

**Oh, and don't forget to review!**


	55. Chapter 55

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but a garage door that squeaks.

**Chapter Fifty-Five: Homecoming Part II**

Casey watched discreetly from the dance floor as Derek rose from his chair and presumably went to find Sally. From her vantage point, she obviously couldn't hear what was happening between them, but from the look on Sally's face when she left, Casey knew she was upset. Derek no doubt pissed her off, and Casey almost felt sorry for her. _Almost_. She continued to follow Derek with her eyes until he was out of sight. Casey took a deep breath and turned away from the door, facing Lizzie and Kendra as they all danced to Paramore.

* * *

Derek found Sally outside sitting on a bench near the door. "Sal, what are you doing out here?" he asked, bracing himself for the yelling.

She didn't answer him, instead looking up at the sky. "It's a nice night out, don't you think?"

Derek followed her gaze. He wasn't usually much for stargazing, but he had to agree. "Yeah, it is," he said as he sat next to her. He put his arm around her. "Aren't you cold?"

Sally turned to look at him. "A bit," she said, her eyes glistening with tears.

Stunned, Derek pulled her into his arms. "What's the matter, babe?" he asked rubbing her back with his hand.

She wound her arms around his waist and laid her head on his shoulder. "Us, Derek. We're what's wrong."

Derek paused in his movement. "What do you mean?"

She moved away from him to look into his face. "I mean, _us_. The way we're fighting all the time . . . days go by and I don't hear from you . . . and when we are together, it's like you're not even there. You're always distracted," she paused, pinning his eyes with hers. "Derek, I can't help but feel that there's something going on with you," she didn't want to ask, but she knew she had to. "Derek, is there someone else?"

Derek was stunned, to say the least. He searched Sally's face, which was wearing an anguished expression. The tears in her eyes flowed over and trickled down her cheeks, and Derek felt like the biggest bastard on the face of the Earth. He had never meant to hurt Sally, even as he knew that he was using her to a certain extent. He mentally kicked himself. In their little dance between love and hate, it appeared that Casey wasn't the only selfish person. He too, was selfish, and neither Derek nor Casey thought about anyone besides themselves. He knew his feelings for Casey blinded him to everything else, and now he was seeing the consequences of that.

He brought his hand up and cupped Sally's cheek, wiping a tear away with his thumb. "I'm so sorry, Sal," he said, making her eyes widen. "I . . ."

She didn't let him finish. "So it's true then! Who is it? Who's the slut that's taking you away from me?"

Derek involuntarily moved back. There was no way he was telling Sally that he had feelings for Casey. He had no idea what Sally would do with that information. "Sally, there's no one else. I . . ." he struggled for words, "It's just not working out between us," he finished with a face full of regret.

Sally barked out a laugh. "I can't believe this is happening now. Of all the nights . . ."

Derek nodded mutely. Wasn't it just a little bit ago that he said he wouldn't break up with her tonight? But she started this conversation and now he felt he had to finish it. With the way things were going, he didn't feel right trying to convince her that everything was just hunky-dory. "Sally, I didn't want this to happen tonight either, but you are right – things haven't been good between us for a while," he paused and took a deep breath. "I think it would be better if we stepped away and were just friends."

Sally stared at him for a moment before starting to cry openly. Her shoulders shook with the force of her sobs and Derek wanted to die. He couldn't stand it when girls cried. Absolutely hated it. Especially when he was the cause. Awkwardly, he put his hand on her shoulder and patted it. "Sally, please . . ."

She shook him off. "No, Derek. Just go away, OK? I don't want to see or talk to you right now," she said through her tears.

Derek wasn't giving up so easily. He had to try to make it right, he just didn't know how. What he did know was that this was good for the long run. Right now, however, it sucked – big time. "Sal, why don't we take off? I mean, you're upset . . . we can go somewhere and talk some more . . ." 'Shit! Did I just say that? Talk more? Criminy, Derek, can you possibly dig yourself any deeper?'

Sally brought her head up and wiped her eyes. She took a shuddering breath and squared her shoulders. Her eyes met his as she said, "Derek, can I use your phone?"

He looked at her, confused. "Uh, sure," he said, handing her his phone. He then watched as she called herself a cab. He opened his mouth to object but stopped at the cold stare she gave him.

She hung up and gave him back the phone. "Thanks," she said, getting up and straightening her dress.

Derek stood with her. "You know, I could have taken you home."

Sally turned and flicked him a look. "I'm sorry, Derek, but right now? . . . You're the _last_ person I want a ride from." With that, she turned and went back inside.

Derek stood there, thinking about what just happened, and wondering what was coming next. On one hand, he was relieved – that it was over, that he wouldn't have to hurt Sally anymore, that he was free to . . . what? To pursue Casey? His _stepsister_? Derek shook his head as he continued to pace outside. It wasn't until he spotted Sally coming back out with her purse and he spied the cab pulling up that Derek realized this was really happening. Sally was breaking up with him, and Derek didn't exactly know how to feel about it.

His thoughts were ceased as she approached him. "Derek, I just want to say that I don't regret going out with you. And I hope we can still be friends . . . someday. But right now, I need to be away from you. You won't hear from or see me for a while. Please respect my wishes and understand," she said next to the idling cab. Her eyes softened. "And Derek? Whatever it is you're looking for . . . I hope you find it."

Derek watched as Sally got into the cab. He watched as it pulled away, and he watched as it turned the corner until it was out of his sight. He didn't know how long he was outside. He was eventually brought out of his thoughts by Sam.

"Derek, dude. There you are! I've been wondering what happened to you," Sam looked around. "Where's Sally? Didn't you find her? Cuz she's not inside . . ."

"She left, Sam," Derek broke in, his eyes still looking in the direction of the cab.

Sam's brows furrowed. "She left?" Realization dawned in his eyes. "Oh man, what happened?"

Derek barked out a laugh. "It's a long story, Sammy," he said before turning and heading back inside, Sam following him with a confused look on his face.

* * *

Casey was very thirsty from all the dancing. A thin sheen of sweat covered her skin and she waved a hand in front of her face trying to cool herself. Panting slightly, she took a seat next to Noel, who handed her a glass of punch. "Thanks," she said gratefully before taking a big sip. "Oooh, and it's cold, too! What did I do to deserve such a great date?" she asked smiling widely.

Noel beamed from the recognition. "Well, Casey, you were just . . . you." At Casey's confused look, he added quickly, "What I mean is, if you weren't such a great girl, I never would have asked you, hence, you wouldn't have a great date."

Casey laughed. "Oh, that makes sense." She sat there for a while before feeling the need to freshen up. "Noel, I'll be back in a bit, OK? I want to freshen myself up."

He nodded and smiled. "I'll be here."

She stood and squeezed his shoulder before heading to the restroom.

Edwin watched Casey's departure from his spot on the dance floor, where he was dancing with Amanda. He was glad that she was having a good time – she deserved it. And he had to admit to himself that he, too, was enjoying himself. Despite the dinner debacle, everything else had gone smoothly. He and Amanda got on well together. She was a nice girl who had just been dumped by her long-term boyfriend, so she wasn't looking to jump into anything, and she had guessed that Edwin wasn't exactly "free" either. They chatted easily about anything and everything, and he was glad that he had asked her. She was what Edwin considered to be "low maintenance," and he liked that. Reluctantly, he had to admit that Casey was "high maintenance." He smiled as Amanda said something funny and his arms involuntarily tightened around her.

* * *

Derek sat at the table with Sam and Ralph. The girls were on the dance floor, and Ralph was keeping up a running dialogue on the jiggling motions that the girls' bodies made while dancing. Sam was cracking up, but Derek didn't even crack a smile. "Derek, dude! What the heck is up with you? You're seriously bringing me down!" Ralph said, obviously annoyed.

Derek wasn't paying attention. His eyes were scanning the room for Casey. He spotted Noel sitting at their table talking to Brian, Kendra's date, but there was no sign of his stepsister. On the dance floor, he saw Edwin and Amanda dancing together – and looking pretty cozy too! – and he also spied Lizzie and Jamie together on the dance floor. Derek got a feeling, and his knee started jumping. He practically hopped out of his chair. "I'll be back," he threw over his shoulder as he headed for the exit.

* * *

Casey spied herself in the mirror of the ladies' room. Opening her clutch, she took out her lip gloss and touched up her lips, smoothing them together to spread it evenly. She brushed some powder over her face and touched up her hair. Ingeniously, she had packed a mini package of baby wipes, which worked very well to keep her smelling fresh even though she had been dancing most of the night. She made a swipe over the back of her neck and under her arms before tossing it in the trash. Spritzing on some perfume, she stood back and assessed herself. 'Not bad,' she thought before heading outside for some air. It was getting seriously stuffy in the gym, and a few minutes outside would do a lot to freshen her up.

She took a deep breath and let it out noisily. The cool night air felt good on the bare skin of her shoulders and she shivered a bit. The wind stirred her hair and she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear unconsciously. Many thoughts were swirling in her head and she struggled to sort them all out. She felt as if she were on the brink of something big but had no idea what it was.

She jumped at the quiet voice behind her. "Hey Case."

Casey turned to face Derek, who was standing only a few feet away with his hands in his pockets. If it was possible, he looked even more handsome than he did earlier in the night. 'Keep your mind clear, Casey!' "Hey Derek," she said, not in the mood to act mad at him anymore.

He smiled at her greeting, obviously pleased that she had decided to speak to him after over a week of the silent treatment. "Getting some fresh air?" he asked, knowing how stupid it sounded. He didn't care – he was just glad they were speaking again.

Casey smiled softly. "Yeah, it was getting pretty stuffy in there."

He nodded but said nothing. Casey stared at him for a moment before turning and presenting her back to him. She didn't feel like arguing and she hoped he wasn't there to antagonize her. A whisp of breath on her shoulder caused her to stiffen. "You're breathtaking," Derek said, his mouth next to her ear. His hands appeared on her arms, but she didn't dare turn to look at him. He was standing so close that she could feel the length of his body against hers. She fought the urge to lean back against him.

"Thank you," Casey breathed out, her voice catching slightly. He was caressing the skin of her arms now, and she shivered at the sensation. "Are you cold?" he asked, the skin of his cheek against hers.

Casey felt robbed of breath. "Nnno," she stuttered, kicking herself for sounding affected by his touch.

"Casey . . ." he whispered before bringing his hand up to her cheek and turning her head toward him. His lips captured hers and she was lost in the feel of them against hers.

Once Casey turned her back on him, Derek couldn't take anymore. He moved quickly and quietly behind her. He had to be closer to her – he wanted to touch and taste her.

Now, as his lips moved against hers, all the confusion of earlier vanished and suddenly things were clearer than they've ever been. All he could see was Casey. There was no one else. There would be no one else. And as far as he was concerned, there had been no one else. Only them.

Casey found herself turning in Derek's arms. Her arms wound themselves around his neck and her fingers found purchase in the hair there. Feeling Derek's tongue at her lips, she opened her mouth and let him in, their tongues meeting, making Casey feel like she was flying. It always amazed her how fast her body reacted to Derek's touch. No other man could get her aroused as quickly as he could. At that thought, she let out a moan into his mouth and Derek tightened his grip on her in response, his hands settling on her waist.

They kissed a little while longer until Derek broke away and put his hand on her cheek. His eyes were solemn as he opened his mouth to speak. "Casey, I . . ."

He was interrupted by a commotion coming from the area where the front door was. They sprang apart and turned to where the noise was. Not seeing anything, Derek and Casey hurried around the corner and watched as two teachers dragged Amy out of the school. A flustered Max followed. "Get your hands off me, fuckers!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. "I will sue your asses!"

The teachers, two of the many chaperones of the dance, said nothing. Max was trying in vain to calm Amy down. "Ames, stop it, OK? You're only making things worse," he said, his hands up in a placating motion.

"Shut up, asshole! This is all your fault, anyway! If you weren't lusting after other women, I wouldn't be like this! You're a fuckin' loser, Max! Go to hell!" she spat at him, making Max wince from the verbal abuse.

"What the hell is going on?" Derek whispered next to Casey. They stayed out of sight, hidden in the shadows of the trees.

"I don't know, but it looks like she's high again," Casey said, their eyes meeting ominously, both remembering the night of the party.

Derek nodded silently as they both watched Amy struggle in the clutches of the adults. Max stood by helplessly as a crowd gathered around the front door. Amy continued to shout obscenities and cursed the whole world before a police car drove up.

Casey and Derek watched as Amy was arrested and put into the back of the cop car. Once inside, she continued to yell until the cop threatened to zap her with a taser. The car pulled away, leaving the teachers and Max standing there. They observed the teachers trying to console Max, who was obviously distressed. One of the teachers patted him on the back and Max nodded before heading toward his car and leaving.

"Wow," Casey muttered, looking at Derek.

"Yeah," he agreed. They stared at each other for a moment until Casey started with the realization that she still had a date waiting inside for her. And what about Sally?

"Derek, I have to get inside. Noel's waiting for me," she said with an apologetic look on her face.

He nodded. "I know." There was nothing else to say.

"Sally's probably waiting in there for you too," she added with a small frown on her face.

Derek's face was impassive as he said, "No, she's not. She left."

Casey's eyes widened. "Why?" she whispered.

Derek smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "She broke up with me – hence, she decided that she couldn't spend another minute in my company."

Casey was floored. "Derek . . . I'm sorry." And she _was_ sorry. She had no idea how Derek felt about Sally, but there had to be _some_ feelings there.

He shrugged. "It was going to happen sooner or later."

Casey said nothing. "Well," she started, "I'm still sorry."

"Thanks," he said, not knowing what else to say.

She nodded and turned to go. "I'll see you at home later, OK?"

"Yeah, OK," he said.

He watched as she disappeared inside before turning and heading for home. His night at the dance was done.

**Review please!**


	56. Chapter 56

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**Chapter Fifty-Six: Interface**

Casey caught a glimpse of Lizzie and Jamie standing just inside the school doors as she walked in. "What happened?" she asked, her thumb pointing over her shoulder to where the action had taken place.

Lizzie shrugged her shoulders. "Not sure. Jamie and I were dancing when all of a sudden we heard Amy yelling at the top of her lungs at Max."

Jamie cut in then. "Yeah, and then she went postal on him. Punching and kicking him . . . it was wild."

Casey listened in silence. She felt sorry for Max and worried for Amy. Shaking her head, she made her way back to Noel.

She found him still sitting at their table chatting with someone Casey didn't know. "Hey," she said, sitting down next to him.

"Hey Case, you missed the excitement," Noel said, his face grave.

She nodded in acknowledgement. "I heard."

"She needs help," Noel added, speaking to both Casey and his mysterious friend.

At Casey's gaze, Noel seemed to know he should make introductions. "Casey, this is Steve, Steve, Casey."

"Hi," Casey said giving him a small wave.

"Hello," Steve replied, giving her a nod. He turned his attention back to Noel. "Well, I better get back to my date before she thinks I ditched her."

Noel nodded. "OK, see ya later."

"Later," Steve said before getting up and walking away.

Casey watched him leave. "Does he go to our school? I don't think I've seen him before."

Noel smiled at her curiosity. "That's because he graduated two years ago. Sue Miller is his girlfriend." At Casey's clueless expression, he added, "You know, Sue? From drama club?"

"Ohhhhh, Sue!" Casey said, still not remembering but not wanting to let on.

"You have no idea, do you?" Noel said with a smile on his face.

"None," Casey deadpanned.

Noel laughed and held out his hand. "It's a slow song. Would you like to dance?"

She didn't need to be asked twice. "Of course," she said, taking his hand and letting him lead her onto the dance floor. She hoped that she could keep her mind off what happened outside with Derek, but she doubted it.

* * *

After Amy's outburst, the rest of the night went smoothly, and before they knew it, Edwin and Amanda were parked in front of her house. "I had a great time tonight, Mandy," he said looking at her.

She smiled. "Me too, Ed. Thanks for asking me," she replied, fiddling with the hem of her dress.

They sat in silence for a moment before she spoke again. "Well, I should get inside before my parents start to worry."

He nodded. "OK, I'll see you at school on Monday." He wasn't sure what the etiquette was. Should he walk her to the door? She didn't seem to care either way. He searched her face looking for an answer, but found nothing.

"Goodnight Edwin," she said before leaning forward and kissing him on the cheek. She moved back and smiled at him before opening the car door and getting out. He sat watching her as she walked up the path to her front door. She turned and looked at him one last time before going in. Edwin took a deep breath before starting the car and heading home.

* * *

Lizzie was on cloud nine. She had just had the best night of her entire life! She got to attend her very first high school dance with the _best boyfriend ever_!, and now they were standing on her front porch kissing under the porch light. She sighed against Jamie's lips and tightened her grip on his waist.

He pecked her lightly on the lips before moving back. "Lizzie, I had a great time tonight. You were definitely the most beautiful girl there."

Lizzie laughed. "Oh, Jamie, you know that's not true."

He looked affronted. "Are you calling me a liar?" he asked, but his eyes were merry.

"No, I'm just saying you might need glasses," she said, pulling him to her again and burying her face in his chest. He had grown since they first became friends, and he was now a few inches taller than her.

He tightened his arms around her and rubbed her back gently. "Liz, there's something I want to say . . ." he trailed off, sounding nervous.

Lizzie's stomach clenched. She didn't know what to expect, but she was pretty sure he wasn't breaking up with her. He _did_ sound serious, though, so she took her head off his chest and stepped back to see his face. "What is it?" she asked softly.

"I . . . I love you," he rushed, taking a deep breath once the words were out.

Lizzie felt her heart start to pound, and she swore she could feel the blood rushing through her veins. Her head was light and she felt woozy. "What?" she couldn't resist asking.

Jamie's eyes darkened and he smiled at her ploy. "I love you Lizzie," he repeated deeply.

She couldn't stop the giant grin that took over her face. "I love you too, Jamie."

He returned her smile and leaned down to kiss her again. They were so engrossed in each other that they didn't notice Noel's car pull up in front of the house until the sound of slamming car doors made them jump apart. Lizzie turned and noticed Casey and Noel heading up the walk, her sister wearing a smirk that told her she had seen everything. Casey would be teasing her later for sure, Lizzie knew.

"Well, I'm going to go in. Call me tomorrow?" Lizzie asked, her hand on Jamie's wrist.

"You bet," he said before pecking her lips one last time and moving down the walk. He exchanged goodnights with Noel and Casey as he passed.

"Sorry to interrupt," Casey said with a smile in her voice.

Lizzie smirked right back. "No problem. I'll leave you two kids alone," she said before going inside the house, leaving Casey and Noel standing on the front porch.

"So . . ." Casey said, turning to Noel and suddenly feeling very uncomfortable. They had a good night, enjoying each other's company and getting along well. However, Casey knew that there could never be anything more than friendship between the two of them. After her encounter with Derek, Casey realized that what she felt for her stepbrother was more than just attraction, more than just lust. When he was close to her, she could barely breathe. He made her heart race and her skin flush.

Noel made a throat-clearing noise and jostled Casey from her thoughts. "I'm sorry, did you say something?" she asked, feeling embarrassed for tuning out her own date.

"No, it just looked like you zoned out there for a minute," he said, his eyes boring into hers.

She shifted nervously. "I'm sorry, I guess I'm just tired from all the dancing and everything. I had a great time tonight, thank you."

"I did too. Thank you for going with me," Noel said, reaching his hand forward and cupping her cheek.

'Oh God, he's going to kiss me!' Casey thought frantically. She didn't know what to do. Should she push him away now or let him do it and then shoot him down? She didn't want to hurt his feelings – after all, he really _was_ a great guy – and under different circumstances she might consider him, but things were the way they were, and her and Noel? _Never going to happen_. She was startled out of her thoughts by the feel of his lips on hers. The sensation made her jump a bit and she fought not to cringe. He moved closer and pressed their lips together. She stood stock-still and let him kiss her before he seemed to get the hint and moved back.

Casey pasted a smile on her face, but it faded when she noticed the frown that flitted across Noel's face before he quickly hid it. "Well, I guess this is goodnight," he said, trying to sound upbeat.

"Yeah," Casey said, struggling to find something to say. All she could come up with was "goodnight," before he smiled weakly and turned away. She stood on the porch and watched as he got into his car and pulled away, her heart heavy with the thought that she might have hurt someone else. That's all she seemed to do lately. Sighing, she headed inside.

She knew she was the last in because she saw both Derek's and Edwin's cars in the drive. Casey locked the door and shut off the outside light before removing her stole and slipping off her shoes. The house was dark and quiet, the only illumination coming from the light above the kitchen sink. Picking up her shoes, she carried them by the straps and headed upstairs.

Casey popped by Lizzie's room and chatted with her for a few minutes before excusing herself to get ready for bed. The sisters promised they would talk more about their nights the next day when they weren't so exhausted.

On the way to her room, Casey stopped in front of Derek's closed bedroom door, leaning against it and listening for any sounds. Hearing nothing, she thought about going in anyway, but changed her mind. All she wanted to do was get out of her dress and take her hair down.

She entered her room through the open door and flipped on the light. Heading for the closet, she dropped her shoes and hung the stole over her computer chair. She was just reaching for the zipper on the back of her dress when a sound alerted her that she wasn't alone. Whipping around, she spied Derek standing just inside her room. "Don't you think you should close your door before you undress?" he asked, his lip curling slightly. "I mean, anyone could just walk in on you."

Casey was stunned and words escaped her. Normally she would have shouted at him to get out, but tonight she stood staring, her eyes moving over him. He was still in his suit, although the jacket and tie were missing. The top two buttons of his shirt were undone and his hair looked like he had been running his hands through it. Not receiving a response from her, he took it upon himself to shut the door behind him.

He moved closer, his eyes on hers. She found her voice. "Derek, what are you doing here?" she asked breathily.

"Waiting for you," he said, his voice like silk.

The sound made her shiver and she crossed her arms over herself. "Why?"

"Why do you think?" he asked, coming to stand not a foot away, his eyes drinking her in.

Casey felt her skin flush and tried to remain nonchalant. She knew she wasn't fooling him, though. The look on his face told her so. "I don't know, that's why I'm asking," she said snarkily. Somehow, it was still important to her that he not know how much he affected her. She was unwilling to give up total control to him. 'At least not yet.'

"Did you have a good time tonight?" he asked, his eyes heavy on hers.

"It was nice," Casey answered, her voice barely a whisper.

Derek nodded, his eyes moving to her lips. "Did he kiss you?"

Casey resisted the urge to smirk. His jealousy was apparent and that thrilled her.

"Yes," she replied, her pupils dilating at the look in his eyes.

"Did you like it?" his voice was deep and it caused a tingle to ripple down her spine.

"No."

He stood there for a moment, his eyes searching her face before a smile appeared on his lips.

"Do you need help?" he asked in a lighter tone, gesturing to her zipper.

Casey's stomach flipped. The thought of his fingers caressing the skin of her back as he slid the zipper down her body made her quiver and wetness rush between her legs. As much as she knew she should say no, she heard the word "Yes," coming from her mouth. Before she knew it, Derek had whirled her around and was slowly pulling down her zipper.

Casey closed her eyes and tried not to pant as Derek ran his fingers over the skin of her shoulder. She stood still as she felt him step closer, the heat of his body bleeding into hers. She didn't jump when she felt his lips where his fingers just were, and she definitely _didn't_ moan when his tongue flicked out and ran along her shoulder to the juncture of her neck.

She remained motionless but clenched her fists as Derek slid the straps of her dress off her shoulders. His hands ran down her sides and he tugged lightly before the dress dropped and pooled at her feet. She stepped out and turned to face him. She was left in her strapless black bra and matching panties. She watched as his eyes ran over her body and felt a lick of desire run through her as his skin flushed.

Derek stepped forward and put his hands on her shoulders, slowly running them down her arms and grasping her hands. Slowly he brought them to his lips and kissed each of them. "I can't stand it, you know," he said, so close now that his breath touched her cheek.

Casey swallowed. "What can't you stand?" she whispered, her eyes on his lips.

"Seeing you with someone else," he said, dropping her hands and bringing his arms around her back. He drew her to him until her chest was against his. "I tried to deny it, tried to change it – nothing worked," he said stroking the skin of her cheek with his hand. Casey stood mute in his arms, reveling in the feeling of his body against hers. "Now, I'm doing the only thing I _can_ do," Derek whispered moving forward until his lips were a hair's width apart from hers.

"What's that?" Casey whispered, transfixed by his closeness.

"Giving in," Derek replied before claiming her lips with his.

**A.N.: (I was going to stop it here, but I decided to show mercy on you!)**

Casey moaned and brought her arms up to rest on his shoulders, her hands moving into his hair.

His hands were busy caressing her bare skin – anywhere he could reach – her shoulders, arms, neck, face, legs – he was like a starving man quenching his thirst. Their lips moved against each other's brutally, and Casey could feel the stubble from Derek's beard scratching her chin but she didn't care. All her concerns, her hang-ups – they all fell away and she realized that she had never wanted anything more than she wanted this – right here, right now. She scratched her nails against his scalp, causing Derek to growl into her mouth and squeeze her behind. Casey removed her hands from his hair and slid them down his back until they were cupping his ass. She pressed herself against him and started to move them backward toward her bed, Derek following, his lips still plastered to hers.

Finally, when they both needed air, they broke away and stared at each other, a look of wonder and amazement on both their faces. Casey thought that Derek had never looked sexier – his eyes were wild, his lips swollen from their kisses, his hair messy from her fingers, and somehow his white shirt had come untucked from his dress pants. She couldn't remember doing it, but she must have. Without thinking, she moved toward her door and locked it before turning off the overhead light. It was pitch black for a second and the room was silent except for their heavy breathing. When her eyes adjusted to the darkness, Casey moved forward and turned on the small light next to her bed before again moving toward Derek and kissing him.

He stood still for a moment and let her kiss him before bringing his hands up into her hair. By his movements, Casey thought he must be trying to unpin her updo, and she laughed lightly in his mouth when he got his fingers caught in it and started grumbling against her lips. "Let me," she said before stepping back and gently untangling his hands from her hair. Derek stood mutely as he watched Casey take down her hair, removing each pin slowly and setting it on the bedside table. With the removal of each, another section would fall down on her shoulders and Derek's breath caught at the look in Casey's eyes as she continued with her actions. When finally the last pin was removed, Casey shook out her hair and ran her fingers through it, making it look wild.

"God, you are so beautiful," Derek said staring at her in awe.

Casey smiled shyly and lifted her arm, beckoning him to her with her finger. "Come here," she whispered, and the sound of her voice made Derek harder than he had ever been in his life. It was like he could literally feel all the blood in his body moving down to his groin, and the loss of it in his brain almost made him woozy. Or so it felt like to him. Before he knew it, they were kissing again, and he was pushing her back onto her bed and covering her with his body. She wrapped her arms and legs around him and clasped him to her and he didn't know how much more he could take. He already felt like he was going to explode.

Derek moved his mouth from hers and trailed it along her jaw line until he got to her ear. He licked her lobe before gently biting it, causing Casey to draw in a deep breath and buck herself against him. He needed to feel more of her skin against him and he drew himself off her and rested on his knees before pulling her up with him so he could reach the clasp of her bra on her back. After fumbling for a moment, he managed to get it open and pulled it away from her body, throwing it on the floor behind him. Derek took a moment to gaze at Casey's body. Her skin seemed to be glowing in the light of the small lamp and he felt the inevitable urge to touch her. He looked to Casey's face and found her staring at him with wide eyes. She was biting her lower lip and seemed to be coiled as tight as a spring, no doubt wondering what his next move was going to be.

Derek reached out his hand and cupped her cheek, running his thumb along her lips before moving it down her neck, over her shoulder, eventually reaching her breast and cupping it. Casey let out a sigh and arched into his hand. Derek felt the front of his pants tighten even further but he controlled himself. As much as he wanted to tear both of their clothes off and shove himself into her, he knew that she deserved better than that – they both did. And he was going to do everything in his willpower to make it last. They had been dancing around each other for months – maybe even years – and he wasn't going to ruin it by rushing things.

He ran his thumb over her nipple and watched in delight as it hardened to a point. Derek pinched and rolled it lightly and Casey threw back her head and moaned – loudly. Derek stopped for a moment and worried that someone might have heard her. The last thing he needed was Lizzie barging in wondering what was going on. "Shhhh, baby, we need to keep quiet, alright?" he whispered, hoping not to offend her.

Casey opened her eyes and focused on him, and he was stunned at the desire he found there. She said nothing, but nodded to let him know that she understood. Derek didn't move, too caught up in her eyes to continue. They stared at each other for a moment until Casey spoke. "Don't stop, Derek, please," she pleaded, making his head spin.

Empowered by her desire, he shifted her on her back and attached his lips to her nipple, using his tongue to roll it around his mouth. He nipped it gently with his teeth and Casey squealed softly, her hand coming up to cover her mouth. Derek smiled against her and moved his attention to the other breast, giving it the same treatment. Casey was panting and had her legs wrapped tightly around his body. He could smell her arousal and he had never been more turned on in his entire life. _Ever_. A thought hit him as he continued to lave Casey's breasts. He didn't just want to fuck her, he wanted to make love to her, he wanted to imprint himself on her and cover her body with marks that _he_ made. He wanted to let everyone know that she was his – that no one but him would ever touch her again. Of course, that wasn't true – yet. She wasn't his, per se, but at this moment she was, and he wanted to love her so completely that she would be ruined for any other man. That if she ever found herself in an intimate situation with another, that she would be unable to continue because her mind was too muddled with thoughts of him – Derek.

He chuckled against her skin and knew he was being a bit dramatic. Of course, he would never admit that openly. He also knew that his thoughts were incredibly selfish, but he didn't care. All he knew was that he wanted his stepsister more than he had ever wanted anything in his whole life and he was pretty sure that she wanted him the same way, based on her reaction to his ministrations on her body.

Derek pulled his lips from her nipple with a 'pop!' and looked up at Casey's face. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing heavily, her skin flushed and Derek could swear he saw the light sheen of perspiration on her brow. She was so responsive to him, and he had barely started. He could only imagine how she would be when he was inside of her. His dick jumped with the thought and he moved his way back up to her and took her lips with his, their tongues meeting and twining together slowly.

He moved away from her and just stared – wanting to imprint everything about this night on his brain and in his mind. His eyes trailed over her hungrily until coming to rest on hers. Derek could see the emotions swirling there and he wondered what she was thinking. "What are you thinking?" he blurted out before he could stop himself.

Casey said nothing for a moment, the hand that was buried in his hair coming to rest on his cheek. Finally she answered. "I'm thinking that I've never wanted anything or anyone the way I want you," her eyes steady on his.

Derek almost stopped breathing. If possible, his cock got even more hard and he almost came right there. As if reading his thoughts, a smirk appeared on Casey's face and she drew his head down to hers and started covering his face with little kisses. Starting on his forehead, she worked her way over his eyebrows, the bridge of his nose, his cheekbones, his chin, and finally his lips, little pecks that left him wanting more. He didn't realize that his eyes were closed until her silence and the fact that she stopped kissing him made him open his eyes and focus on her. "What are _you_ thinking?" she asked, her eyebrow raised in curiosity.

He brought his hand up and pushed the hair back from her forehead before moving forward and resting his own there. Derek was torn as to how much he should reveal about what he was feeling. He didn't want to scare her away by laying it all out there, but he knew she deserved better than a "right back atcha!" too.

Casey laid under him waiting for an answer. She watched as he moved away slightly and a look of uncertainty crossed his face. He looked vulnerable and open – and Casey felt a rush of affection for the guy who she knew guarded his heart and mind fiercely. She didn't know whether to be flattered or scared that he was even allowing her to see him so obviously struggling for an answer. She decided to help him out. "Derek, hey, you don't have to answer. I know you're not much for talking," she said, rubbing the back of his neck.

Derek stared at her incredulously. 'Did Casey actually give me an out? The girl who always wants to talk things to death? I think I'm in love,' he thought absently before stiffening. 'Wait a minute. _Am_ I in love with Casey?' he wondered as he continued to gaze at the beauty beneath him. She smiled softly at him and he knew.

**I'm stopping here, folks. I know, don't kill me. Review me instead! It helps motivate me to update quicker! **


	57. Chapter 57

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**Chapter Fifty-Seven: Exploration**

_Previously__: Derek stared at her incredulously. 'Did Casey actually give me an out? The girl who always wants to talk things to death? I think I'm in love,' he thought absently before stiffening. 'Wait a minute. __Am__ I in love with Casey?' he wondered as he continued to gaze at the beauty beneath him. She smiled softly at him and he knew._

* * *

Derek struggled to express the emotions that he was feeling. He was terrified of exposing too much of himself to her and then having her reject him. I mean, sure she wanted his body, but did she want anything more? _Did he?_

He snapped himself out of his musings and focused on Casey's face. Her eyes met his steadily and a small smile graced her features. He could feel her brushing her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck and briefly closed his eyes from the sensation of it. Derek realized that Casey was still waiting patiently for an answer, but he was no closer to giving her one. He said the only thing that he could: "I . . ." he faltered but continued, "there are no words . . . I'm sorry . . ." he trailed off, feeling like a complete idiot. Embarrassed, he buried his face in Casey's neck.

"Hey, it's OK . . ." she said, her hands bringing his head level with hers and looking deep into his eyes. "You just told me everything I need to know," she said before leaning up to kiss him again.

Derek closed his eyes and concentrated on the feel of Casey's mouth against his, the way her hands ran over his back and clutched at him. He faltered against her mouth when he felt her unbuttoning his shirt. A moment later she pushed it off his shoulders and he leaned back to shrug it off and deposit it on the floor next to the bed. He moved back over her and brushed his lips against her shoulders. Derek couldn't get enough of the taste of her skin.

Casey was loving the feel of Derek's body covering hers and pressing her into the mattress. She sighed into his hair as he continued to trail his lips over her upper body, his tongue running along her neck. She tightened her grip on his body with her arms and ran her hands over the bare skin of his back, lightly scratching her nails up and down.

Derek tore his mouth away from her neck and exhaled loudly before smashing his lips against hers. They kissed passionately and Casey felt Derek's hand squeeze her breast before moving down her stomach to her panties. She gasped into his mouth as she felt him rub her over the fabric there. Her center throbbed and a new gush of wetness flooded her, making her buck into his hand. Derek smiled against her mouth and rubbed harder, causing Casey to start panting into his mouth.

He stroked her lips with his tongue and lightly bit her lower lip as he moved his hand under the fabric of her panties and found her slick and hot. "Jesus," he whispered against her cheek as he stroked her slit.

"Uggghhh . . ." Casey let out as she threw her head back into the pillow and dug her nails into his back.

Derek flinched from the pain, but that didn't stop him from putting his finger inside her heated core.

"Yes . . ." Casey whispered, closing her eyes.

He loved watched her reactions as he touched her and added another digit into her. She was everything he knew she would be – tight and slick and hot – just for him. He pumped his fingers into her and willed her to open her eyes. Derek wanted to see her as he was giving her pleasure.

As if reading his thoughts – and not for the first time tonight – Casey opened her eyes and stared directly into his. They held their look as Derek removed his fingers and slid his body down hers until his face was level with her crotch. He puffed a breath of air over the sensitive skin there and she groaned, her hands squeezing his shoulders as if egging him on. He stilled his motions and looked up at her, wanting permission to move forward. Casey nodded imperceptibly and he hooked his fingers into her panties and slid them down her legs, gently removing them and dropping them on the floor next to his shirt.

Casey lay back on the bed entirely bare to him now – her face showing nothing but desire and happiness. Derek hoisted himself up on his knees, which were between her legs and ran his eyes over her, covering every inch of her body. He wanted to memorize every inch of skin, every freckle, every angle and curve. His eyes stopped at the juncture between her legs, which was bare and glistening. Derek reached out his hand and ran a finger along the length of her slit, reveling in the moisture there. In response, Casey growled and got a feral look on her face. Before he knew it, she had risen from her position on the bed and had flipped him over onto his back. She straddled his hips with her legs and leaned down to kiss him, her breasts brushing against his chest.

They kissed hungrily until she pulled away and trailed her lips down his body, mapping it with her tongue. The sound of her voice startled him. "You think you're the only one that gets to be in control? I don't think so . . ." she said saucily, making his cock jump again. 'Dammit, I'm not gonna last long . . .' Derek thought erratically as he felt her lips glide over his chest and down his stomach, dipping into his belly button before moving further.

Derek bit his lip when he felt Casey's hand palm him through his pants. He laid there looking at the ceiling but seeing nothing as he heard the clanking of his belt buckle being undone. Her hands worked quickly as she unbuttoned his pants and slid down the zipper. He was stiff as a board – not just his dick – his whole body. Because if he moved an inch, he felt like he would blow his load right then and there, and he absolutely didn't want to do that.

"Lift up for me," he heard Casey say and he directed his gaze toward her face. She sat between his legs and had her hands resting on the waistband of his suit pants. Without thinking, he did as he was told, and he watched breathlessly as she moved off the bed, shifted his legs together and pulled his pants and boxers down in one motion. 'Oh my god, this is really going to happen,' Derek thought in wonderment. Strangely, he didn't know whether to laugh or cry. It was something he had wanted for such a long time, now that it was really happening, he was overcome.

He jerked violently when he felt Casey's hand stroking his dick. "Ah, fuck . . ." Derek breathed out as he watched her massage him.

She laughed softly. "Working on it babe," which made Derek's breath come even faster. Casey took in Derek's reaction and explored his body with her eyes. He lay on his back, his arms stretched out on either side of his body, his hands clenched in her bed spread. His eyes were wild as he watched her touch the most sensitive part of him. 'Oh hell, I'm gonna come,' Derek thought, starting to squirm to get away from her. He didn't want it to go down like that, he wanted to give her more pleasure before he had his fill. "Casey, stop . . . I'm gonna . . ." he couldn't finish as he watched Casey lean over and cover the head of his cock with her mouth, her tongue swirling around it, dipping into the slit there before sucking. Her hand continued to pump his shaft as she worked her mouth over the tip until he couldn't take it anymore and pulled her off him with one hand, dragging her up to him so he could kiss her lips. Casey kept her hand on him as they kissed, breathing in each other's breath as they fucked the other's mouth with their tongues. Derek felt it starting but was powerless to stop it, the hot cavern of her fist too much for him to handle. His body trembled and he arched off the bed, trying not to make too much noise as he shot his orgasm all over her hand and his stomach. Casey continued to kiss him and gently rubbed him through his climax until he rasped out a "no more," signaling his over-sensitivity due to his orgasm.

Satisfied that _he_ was satisfied, Casey stopped kissing him and moved away slightly, resting her head on her hand and bringing the other hand up from his groin to rest on his stomach, lightly dragging her fingers through the white liquid there. Derek fought to catch his breath, and his body was thrumming from the delicious feeling of the pressure being relieved. He brought his arm around Casey and sank his hand into the hair at the back of her head, bringing her lips to his. "God, that was awesome," he said without thinking, causing Casey to giggle.

Derek drew back from her and smiled. "You think that's funny?" he asked, trying to sound mad.

Casey wasn't buying it. "Yeah, I do. What are _you_ gunna do about it?" she asked sexily before bringing the finger that had been running through his come to her mouth and slowly licking it clean. Derek watched with wide eyes as her tongue snaked out and licked up his essence, her eyes falling closed from the sensation of tasting him. "Mmmmm, this is better than I thought it would be," she said idly, her eyes pinning his.

Unbelievably, he felt himself getting hard again and rolled over, pinning her with his body. "Let me return the favor," he said before moving down between her legs.

Casey watched entranced as Derek scooted down the bed and brought himself level with her center. She couldn't help but close her eyes, however, when she felt the heat of his breath against the skin there. She stiffened when he ran his finger through the wetness, and about shot off the bed when he thrust his finger inside. "Oh!" Casey cried before slapping a hand over her mouth.

Derek chuckled at her outburst. He was determined to pay her back – in spades. He wanted to make her come over and over again. Hell, he wanted to make it so she wouldn't be able to walk for a week. Again, he fought the urge to snicker at the thoughts that Casey evoked in him. He gazed up at her face as he thrust his now two fingers inside of her. Her body was tense and her eyes were closed, her breath coming quickly through her mouth and nose. Derek wanted to see her eyes – because as much as he loved looking at her body, it was her eyes that always did him in. "Casey, look at me," he commanded as he kept up his pace inside her.

She obeyed and opened them, directing her gaze at him. Her eyes widened when she observed him moving forward and putting his mouth on her, his tongue coming out and flicking against her clit.

Casey felt like a jolt of electricity had gone through her and she bucked off the bed. Derek held her down with a hand on her hip. She panted as he licked the length of her slit and couldn't help letting out a groan as his lips closed her sensitive bundle of nerves. Casey had never felt anything like it before – her skin was on fire, even her toes were tingling.

Derek kept his eyes on hers as he tasted her over and over again, his fingers quickening their pace inside her. He could tell she was close – her eyes were dilated and she was breathing heavily. Little mewls of sound were tumbling from her mouth and one hand had attached itself to the back of his head – almost directing him where she wanted him to go.

Casey felt a strange sensation start in her stomach – more than a fluttering – something that she had never felt before. Her blood was rushing through her head, making her feel dizzy. Watching Derek go down on her was the most erotic thing she had ever seen, and the way he kept his eyes on hers the whole time – well – that just blew Casey away.

She felt the trembling start in her legs and travel through her body. She wanted to cry out but instead bit her lower lip as her orgasm hit full force. At that moment Derek removed his fingers and thrust his tongue into her, jabbing it in over and over, making Casey about pull his hair out with her hand. He briefly closed his eyes from the pain but didn't let up his assault on her body with his tongue.

Derek rode out her orgasm and only ceased when she stopped trembling. Moving up her body, he observed her breathing heavily, a light sheen of sweat covering her face and shoulders. Her skin was flushed and Derek thought she had never looked more gorgeous.

Casey didn't know when she closed her eyes, but when she opened them, Derek was laying beside her, his face next to hers, his arm draped across her waist. She looked into his eyes and smiled widely, not being able to resist saying, "God, that was awesome," making Derek laugh softly.

Smiling, she turned into his arms and hugged him tightly, loving the feel of his naked body against hers. This was something she could get used to – being like this with him. Casey wondered if he felt the same way. She decided not to ask him at that moment, fearing that any deep conversation right now would scare him away. Instead, she kept it light. "Hey, I need to wash off all this make-up and get ready for bed. Stay here?" she asked as she moved out of his Derek's arms and threw on her robe.

Derek lay on his back and put his arms behind his head. "Sure," he said with a small smile on his face. He watched as she blew him a kiss before unlocking her door and peeking out. Satisfied that the coast was clear, she quickly exited the bedroom, shutting the door behind her.

Casey looked at herself in the bathroom mirror and wanted to laugh out loud. Her hair was a mess and her make-up was smeared but she felt great. Her body still thrummed from her orgasm and she was extremely wet between her legs. She hoped that when tomorrow came, neither she nor Derek would have any regrets about what happened, or might still happen, tonight. She thought about that as she removed her make-up and brushed her teeth.

Derek lay on Casey's bed, his eyes closed, his body feeling more relaxed than it had in months. He could easily fall asleep at that moment, but he didn't want the night to end. His eyes popped open when he heard the knob turn, and for a moment he had the thought of diving under the bed, thinking it was someone other than Casey. Thankfully, it wasn't. She smiled as she entered and relocked the door behind her before removing her robe and moving toward the bed. "Let's get under the covers," she said.

"OK," Derek said before moving off the bed and pulling back her bed spread and top sheet. "After you," he said, waving his hand to let Casey go first. She smiled at his weird sense of chivalry and slid under the covers, Derek following. They cuddled up together and lay in silence for awhile, simply reveling in the feeling that they could do this.

Derek lay on his back and Casey lay on her side, curled into his body, her head on his shoulder, her arm and leg stretched over him. He had an arm around her shoulders and he stroked the skin of her upper arm with his fingers. Casey couldn't help but move forward and kiss him on the neck, and Derek made an agreeable sound. His voice startled her out of her reverie. "I _am_ glad that you had a good time tonight, Case," he said, his voice rumbling through his chest in her ear.

"Yeah, I really did. Noel is a nice guy . . ." she hesitated, wondering what to say next that didn't ruin the moment. "He's just not my type," she finished lamely.

Derek couldn't stop from snickering. "Not your type? Since when is studious, nerdy and poetry-loving not your type?" 'Uh oh, Derek, watch your mouth,' his inner voice said a beat too late.

Casey felt a flash of annoyance but quickly shoved it away. This _was_ still Derek, her annoying, egotistical stepbrother. Just because they were – _whatever they were – _didn't mean that he was automatically going to change his whole personality. She remained calm as she answered. "Well, maybe I have a different type now."

Derek's fingers stopped moving on her skin. "Really? I would love to hear it."

Casey moved her head up so as to see his face. He turned toward her in response, a smirk on his lips. She wanted to kiss it off him. "Like I'd tell you," she said before thinking.

He said nothing for a minute before throwing his head back and laughing, which made Casey start laughing. They were so wrapped up in each other that they didn't hear the knocking at first. It wasn't until they heard a voice through the door that they stopped and froze, each terrified as to who was on the other side of the door.

"Casey?" said Lizzie's muffled voice.

"Shit," Casey whispered, quickly moving out of Derek's arms and throwing on her robe. "Hide!" she directed at Derek, who looked at her like she was crazy.

"Where?" he whispered, quickly slipping out of bed and pulling on his boxers.

"Closet!" Casey said, grabbing his arms and practically shoving him in before closing it behind him.

She heard a muffled "oomph!" from inside the closet before going to the door and unlocking it. Cracking it, she said, "Yeah, Liz? Is something wrong?" trying to sound casual.

Lizzie looked a bit flustered. "Well, uh, I was in my room reading and I heard noises coming from your room. It sounded like you had someone in there . . ." she hesitated and met Casey's eyes. "I heard laughing," she finished, her eyes searching Casey's face.

Casey shrugged and smiled. "Well, you must be hearing things, Liz. Who else would be in here but me?" she asked, stepping aside and sweeping out her arm in a grand gesture.

Lizzie stood there uncertainly for a moment before shrugging. "I don't know, I guess I was wrong."

Casey moved forward and hugged her sister. "Oh Liz, you've been hanging around Edwin too much. His wild imagination is rubbing off on you," she said into Lizzie's hair, hoping against hope that she would be believed. 'We can't afford to be caught now,' Casey thought desperately.

"Yeah, you're probably right," Lizzie agreed before stepping out of Casey's arms. "OK, then, I'm hitting the sack for real now. I mean, when I got home I was tired, but too wired to go to sleep right away, ya know? Now that I've read a little bit, I feel like I could keel over at any moment," Lizzie said smiling.

Casey smiled back. "Well, go on girl! Get in bed before I have to carry you there!" she said waving her off toward her bedroom.

"Goodnight, sis," Lizzie said before turning and heading back down the hall.

"Night, Liz," Casey said softly before moving back into her room and shutting the door.

Casey leaned against the door and breathed out a heavy sigh. "That was close," she said softly, watching as Derek opened her closet door and crawled out. The sight made her giggle quietly.

From his spot on the floor, Derek looked up at her. "Are you laughing at me _again_?" he asked dryly. "Geez, Case, a guy could get a complex you know."

Casey moved away from the door and toward him, reaching down to help him up. "I'm laughing _with_ you, not _at_ you," she said gently, wrapping her arms around him and pecking him on the lips.

Derek looked down at the girl in front of him. When he had first seen her tonight – all dressed up, her hair done and her make-up flawless – he was stunned by her beauty. Now, as his eyes ran over her, he realized that she was even more lovely when her face was bare and her hair was in its natural state. He felt his heart swell with the thought and before he could stop himself, he was saying, "I want to sleep with you tonight."

Casey's eyes widened at his statement. 'What does that mean? Does he mean _sleep_ as in _have sex_, or does he mean _sleep_ as in literal sleep?'

He noticed the look in her eyes and clarified himself. "Uh, I mean, I want to . . ." he expelled a big breath before continuing. "Can I just hold you tonight?" Derek watched as a brilliant smile lit Casey's face.

Casey felt like her heart was going to burst out of her chest, his request so touched her. "Derek, I would love that," she said, hugging him tightly before pulling away to remove her robe.

Derek's eyes darkened and he felt himself stirring again as he watched Casey walk nude to her dresser and pull out a fresh pair of panties and a clean t-shirt before putting them on. Smiling softly at him, she took his hand and led him to her bed before climbing in and pulling him in after her. The lay side by side not speaking, just looking at each other before Casey felt her eyelids getting heavy. "God, I am so tired all of a sudden," she murmured.

He reached out his hand and lightly brushed a strand of hair away from her face. "Why don't you turn out the light?" he said quietly, his thumb caressing her cheek.

"OK," she said sleepily, turning away from Derek and reaching for the lamp. "Oh, wait a sec," she said before grabbing her alarm clock. She turned her head and looked at him before starting to push the buttons on the clock. "I'm setting my alarm for 6 a.m." she said at his questioning look. "We can't risk someone noticing that you're not in your room tomorrow morning, right?"

'Of course,' Derek thought, nodding his head. Casey was always thinking. Which was good, because most of the time, he _wasn't_.

She finished setting the alarm and turned out the lamp before turning into his arms and snuggling against him. Casey let out a sigh of contentment. "This is so nice," she commented before kissing him lightly on the mouth and closing her eyes.

Derek examined her face for a moment. She looked so innocent lying there with her eyes shut – so close to dropping off into slumber. He wanted to tell her so badly, he just couldn't get the words out. 'What is wrong with me?' he thought irritably before closing his eyes and surrendering himself to sleep.

**Review please!**


	58. Chapter 58

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but a non-existent snow blower. Oh, wait . . .

**Chapter Fifty-Eight: The Morning After**

The first thing that Casey thought when her alarm went off was 'God, I don't want to get up for school.' The second thing was, 'Whose arm is that resting on my stomach?'

Hitting the button on her alarm clock, she turned over and encountered Derek, which brought back all the memories of the night before. 'Holy crap,' Casey thought, her eyes moving over her stepbrother in wonder.

At her movement, Derek chuffed in his sleep and pulled her to him, burying his face in her shoulder. Casey lay still, not knowing what to do for a moment. Realizing that it wasn't Monday, and they didn't have to get up for school, Casey relaxed. She knew she would have to wake Derek up soon so he could go back to his room before anyone else was awake. She thought again about the close call with Lizzie the night before and breathed a sigh of relief.

Focusing her full attention on Derek, she turned on her side and threw her arm around him, giving him a hug. He still didn't wake up. Casey laughed inwardly. 'A nuclear bomb couldn't wake this boy up.' She watched his chest rise and fall with his breaths and took a moment to examine him privately. His chest was hairless, but nicely defined by playing hockey and shooting hoops with Edwin. He didn't have an ounce of fat on him, even though he ate more than anyone she knew. She wondered if in the future he could always get away with that. His eyelashes were auburn against the skin of his cheeks and his hair looked the same as it would if he were ready to go out – messy.

Casey decided to wake Derek up the fun way – with her mouth. She leaned over him and started with his forehead, placing small kisses there. He shifted but didn't wake. She moved down over his eyelids and upper cheek bones, stopping briefly to examine him for signs of wakefulness. Nothing. She brushed her lips over the bridge of his nose and pecked him lightly on the mouth before again checking to see if it was working. He groaned but didn't open his eyes. She nibbled his chin and jaw line before gliding her mouth down his neck and playfully biting him on his jugular.

She felt him move and lift his arm, his hand settling in her hair. "Wha . . .?" he mumbled, making Casey smile against his neck before moving downward.

The room was still dark in the pre-dawn hour, so Derek was confused as he roused himself from sleep. It didn't hit him yet that he wasn't in his room, but it quickly became apparent that he wasn't alone when he felt wetness on his chest. Someone's mouth specifically. He jumped when he felt a tongue swirling around his nipple. "Oh god," he groaned, his dick instantly hard. His mind was fully aware now, and he opened his eyes to see the top of his stepsister's head moving down his body. "Casey . . ." he rasped softly, making her whip her head up and look at him.

She smiled widely. "Good morning."

Derek returned the smile. "Morning."

Casey moved up his body and settled herself over him. "Did you sleep well?"

He brought his hand up and smoothed the sleep-mussed hair away from her face. "I slept great. You?"

"Like a baby," she replied, moving forward to kiss him.

He made a pleased sound against her lips as he wrapped his arms around her, his hands rubbing over her back and coming to rest on her bottom, pulling her against his morning erection.

Her body answered with a burst of wetness between her legs and she moaned into his mouth. "Derek . . ." she gasped as she pressed herself against him trying to increase the friction.

His tongue snaked its way into her mouth and she gladly accommodated him, stroking her tongue against his. She braced herself on her arms and placed her hands on either side of his face, angling his head so she could kiss him deeper. Their bodies moved together fluidly and she gasped when she felt his hands start to pull down her panties. She pulled away from his mouth. "Derek, we need to stop."

"Oh man, why?" Derek whined, throwing his head back against the pillow in frustration.

Casey rolled her eyes but took pity on him. "You know we can't start anything right now. Who knows when someone will be up. You don't want to risk getting caught, do you?" She asked, rubbing his shoulder gently with her hand.

Derek huffed out a breath and opened his eyes to look at her. "Casey . . ." he paused, obviously thinking of what he wanted to say. "I don't think you know just how badly I want you," he finished, his eyes heavy on hers.

A sly smile appeared on her face. "Oh, I think I do," she said silkily, rubbing herself against him.

He groaned and squeezed her ass with his hands. "You're going to kill me, woman."

Casey leaned forward and kissed his Adam's apple. "I'll make it up to you, I promise."

His eyebrows rose. "You will, huh?" he asked with a small smile on his face.

"Trust me," she said breathily before covering his mouth with hers.

They continued to kiss each other before a noise from above broke them apart. "Edwin couldn't be up this early, could he?" Casey whispered against Derek's mouth.

Derek shrugged and looked at her solemnly. The mention of Edwin's name brought him back down to Earth a bit. He wondered what the future held for the three of them – him, Edwin and Casey.

Casey noticed him withdrawing and asked, "What's the matter?"

He didn't feel like talking about it so early in the morning and decided to play it off. "Nothing, Case. I'm just thinking I should go back to my room before I decide to ravish you."

She smiled and nodded before slowly moving off him. She watched as his got up and collected his discarded suit from the night before. His arms full, he moved over her on the bed and kissed her lips gently before leaving.

Casey lay there for a long time trying to get to sleep before giving up and grabbing a book to read.

Meanwhile, in his room Derek lay on his bed trying to will his hard-on away. He couldn't fall back asleep until he got rid of it, and he sure as hell wasn't going to get up _now_. He glanced at his alarm clock. It read 6:45 a.m. 'Way too early,' he thought before giving up and jerking himself off. Ten minutes later, he was sleeping like the dead.

At around nine in the morning, when Casey heard movement coming from downstairs, she got dressed (which consisted of throwing on a pair of sweatpants and socks) and headed for the kitchen. She was starving, and had a particular food in mind. Once there, she encountered her mom drinking juice and George making a pot of coffee.

Nora noticed her first. "Well, good morning, sleepyhead! How was it last night?"

Casey smiled and gave her mother a kiss on the cheek. "Good morning. I had a _fabulous_ time last night," she stated, putting extra emphasis on the word fabulous.

Her mom's brows shot up. "Really? Does that mean we'll be seeing Noel around here more often?" she asked, moving next to George who was leaning against the counter with a curious look on his face.

Casey faltered. "Oh, well, uh, I don't want you to get the wrong idea about me and Noel . . . I mean, he's a nice guy and all, but we're just friends, mom."

Nora looked disappointed. "Oh. Well, that's OK. I just thought that he might have asked you to be his girlfriend or something. It's obvious the boy likes you," she said, taking another sip of her juice.

Feeling guilty, Casey looked down. "I don't think it's the right time to get involved with anyone. I need to concentrate on school," she lied.

Her mother moved forward and clasped her arm. "Honey, it's OK. I don't want you to feel like I'm pressuring you or anything. I just think that Noel's exactly the type of guy you should go for. Nice, handsome, smart . . ."

Casey held up her hand. "OK, mom, I get it. Can we talk about something else?" Her good mood was quickly fading.

Nora looked taken aback. "Sure, honey." She shot a look at George, who shrugged in response. "Um, what would you like for breakfast?"

She raised her head and looked at her mother. "Well, I was thinking chocolate, chocolate-chip pancakes."

Her parents looked surprised. "Really? That's Derek's favorite breakfast, not yours," George said while pouring himself a cup of coffee.

"I never said I didn't like them," Casey defended, moving toward the refrigerator and grabbing the orange juice. She poured herself some and met George and Nora's eyes over the glass.

George shrugged and moved to grab the skillet. "OK, then, chocolate, chocolate-chip pancakes coming up."

Casey's voice interrupted his progress. "Why don't I make them?"

Nora interjected. "Oh honey, you don't have to do that. You had a big night last night. Why don't you go relax in the living room and we'll call you when they're ready."

Casey shook her head. "It's OK, mom. I want to."

Her mother studied her for a moment before apparently giving in. "Have at it, then," she said before heading to the living room with George in tow. "She's just full of surprises this morning . . ." Casey heard her mom tell him.

Casey smiled and got to work.

Fifteen minutes later, Marti appeared, looking as chipper as ever. "Morning Case!"

Casey turned at the voice. "Good morning, Marti. Are you hungry?"

Marti sniffed the air. "Is that . . .?" she asked, moving around Casey to the stove. She squealed. "It is! You're making chocolate, chocolate-chip pancakes! Wait until Smerek hears this!" she said, racing up the stairs.

Casey laughed and flipped the pancakes.

Lizzie was the next to appear, looking a bit bleary-eyed. "Morning, Case," she mumbled, plopping down on the stool.

"Morning, sis," Casey replied, stirring the scrambled eggs she was also making. "Hey, can I get your help here?" she asked Liz.

Her sister rubbed her eyes. "With what?"

"Can you grab the bread and make some toast?" Casey asked waving around the spatula.

"OK," Lizzie answered heading to the pantry.

"Breakfast will be ready in 10 minutes!" Casey called out to the living room.

"Got it!" came the response from George.

"Someone needs to wake up Edwin and Derek!" Casey added as she plated the pancakes that were done. She poured another four circles of batter on the skillet. She knew Derek would eat at least six.

"I think Marti's got that covered!" came the reply.

As if on cue, Marti appeared at the entrance of the kitchen, Derek right behind her. "I had to see for myself," he said deeply, his eyes pinning Casey.

She felt herself flush at his gaze. "I felt like cooking," she said simply before turning back to the stove.

"Well, as long as I don't have to do it," Derek said, plopping on the stool that Lizzie vacated earlier.

"Don't worry, if we had to rely on _you_ to cook, we would all starve," said a smiling Lizzie, which made Casey and Marti laugh.

Derek snorted. "That's true," he agreed amiably and Casey was surprised at his mellow attitude. 'Maybe he will be easier to live with from now on . . .' she was brought out of her thought by the emergence of the rest of the family, including Edwin, who gave her a soft smile. Cognizant of Derek behind her, she gave Edwin a brief grin before turning away. At her response, Edwin's brows rose but he remained silent.

A few minutes later, the whole family was seated at the dining table eagerly demolishing the food that Casey made. "You should cook more often," Derek said, his mouth full of pancakes. "These are awesome!"

Casey grinned. Hearing his praise made her happy, because, after all, she did it all for him. 'Oh god, what is happening to me? One night and I'm already waiting on him hand and foot?'

Derek swallowed his food and grabbed his juice, discreetly shooting Casey a look. He was surprised to see that she looked a bit troubled and wondered what she was thinking about. On a whim, he brushed his foot against her leg to get her attention. She jumped in her seat and shot her eyes to his. He tilted his head and gave her a questioning look.

Not wanting to concern him, Casey smiled and shook her head slightly, signaling to him that everything was fine. He seemed to accept that and went back to shoveling food into his mouth.

Casey watched him in silence. Even his atrocious table manners didn't deter her from marveling at his cuteness. She wanted to sigh and look at him all day, but she knew that wasn't possible. She shook herself out of her daydream and rejoined the conversation that was going on around her, which was Nora grilling each of the children about the time they had the night before. Surprisingly, no one mentioned the blow-up with Amy, not wanting to bring up Max, who was not high on Nora's list of people she liked at the moment.

"Edwin, I think you should invite Amanda over for dinner sometime, don't you?" Nora asked while spearing a piece of scrambled egg with her fork.

Edwin looked uncomfortable. "Uh, why would I want to do that?"

"Because she was your date?" Nora asked like it was obvious.

Lizzie butted in. "Mom, just because you go with someone to a dance doesn't mean that you're going to get married or anything."

Derek snorted, causing Casey to shoot him a look. He countered with a look that said, "What?" She shook her head and refocused on her breakfast.

"Did I say anything about marriage? No. I said _dinner_, Liz," Nora chided before turning back to Edwin.

Casey broke in before she could stop herself. "What is it with you this morning, mom? You keep trying to be a matchmaker for us. We can find our own relationships, thank you."

The table became quiet and she immediately knew she had gone too far. "Well, I'm sorry for wanting my kids to be happy," Nora said, her eyes filling with tears. "I guess I'll just keep my opinions to myself," she added before pushing her chair away hastily and leaving the table. No one said anything as they heard the door to the basement open and slam.

Casey slapped her hand to her forehead and kicked herself mentally. 'Great, Casey, you idiot. You've upset your pregnant mother. You know what you have to do,' she thought before getting up to follow her.

Everyone watched in silence as Casey left the room.

An hour later, Casey emerged from the basement mentally exhausted. Her face was tear-stained and she had a headache. She had apologized to Nora and explained that she was just a bit touchy because she hadn't gotten enough sleep, which was probably true. What she didn't disclose was the reason _why_ she was sleep-deprived. She didn't think that Nora would understand how hard it was to get back to sleep after being hopelessly aroused by your stepbrother. No, she wouldn't get that at all.

Thankfully, Nora had understood and apologized also, disclosing that her hormones were wildly out of control and she just wanted the pregnancy to be over. "I can't wait until this child is out of me," Nora had said, rubbing her stomach wistfully. "I'm not as young as I was when I had you and Liz, and my body is rebelling against me."

Casey understood and they hugged it out, with Nora laying down for a nap afterward. "Thanks for cooking this morning, honey," she said as she situated herself on the bed. "Tell George I'm taking a short nap, will you?"

Casey nodded and headed upstairs.

Unbelievably, she entered the kitchen to find Edwin and Derek doing the dishes. Casey cleared her throat to get their attention and made a show of rubbing her eyes. "Do my eyes deceive me? Is that Edwin and _Derek_ cleaning up?" she asked dramatically.

Derek laughed and Edwin snorted. "I thought it was the least I could do after my _least_-favorite stepsister made my favorite breakfast," Derek said, handing Edwin a dish to dry.

Casey's lip curled. The words that would usually annoy her now held a different meaning. Because she knew that Derek didn't really dislike her. In fact, she knew that what he felt for her was _far_ from dislike. He hadn't said it, of course, but his actions and expressions the night previous had pretty much cemented it in her mind. And that realization warmed her blood and made her face burn. She found herself running her eyes over his body as he washed the dishes. Over his shoulders and back, which were covered by a Metallica t-shirt, to his ass and legs, which were clothed with gray sweats. His feet were bare and she vaguely wondered if they were cold. She wanted to rub them warm. Maybe while they were in bed together . . .

"Casey!" Edwin's voice startled her.

"What?" she asked, her hand fluttering over her neck nervously.

"I asked you how your night was last night," Edwin repeated, his eyes questioning.

Casey's eyes briefly met Derek's before landing on his brother. "Oh, well, it was nice, thanks for asking," she said somewhat primly.

Edwin nodded. "That's good. Noel's a good guy," he said before turning away to continue his job.

"Yeah, he is," Casey said softly, meeting Derek's eyes. The heat between them was palpable and Casey suddenly felt like she was suffocating. She turned and headed upstairs quickly, grabbing some clothes before jumping in the shower.

**Review please!**


	59. Chapter 59

**AN: Whew! Thank goodness the holidays are over! I deeply apologize for making you all wait so long. I hope there are still some readers out there who are interested in this story. I have to say that it's winding down and will be coming to an end soon. Thanks to all.**

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but an antiquated big screen TV. I know, I know…

**Chapter Fifty-Nine: Is There Ever a Right Time?**

Casey scrubbed herself raw in the shower, trying to cool down the desires that were raging inside of her. When she was finished, she wrapped her head in a towel and quickly dried her body before throwing on her clothes. She was deep in thought as she entered her room and didn't notice the door shut behind her until it was too late.

A pair of arms snaked their way around her waist and she let out a squeaking noise. Casey turned to face Derek, who had a smirk planted firmly on his face. "Derek! You scared the hell out of me!" she whispered trying to catch her breath.

He pulled her closer and buried his face in her neck, sniffing deeply. "Mmmm, you smell so good," he murmured against her skin, making the hair on the back of her neck stand up. Involuntarily, she wrapped her arms around him, her hands gently rubbing his back.

Derek stopped sniffing her and moved back, searching her face before cupping it in his palms and bringing their lips together in a sweet kiss.

Casey closed her eyes at the sensation. "Derek, this is risky," she said against his mouth.

He gave her another small peck on the lips before moving back. "I know, but I couldn't help myself. You looked so cute cooking breakfast this morning, it was all I could do not to jump you right there," he said his eyes intense.

Casey's body reacted instinctively to his words and she bit back a moan. Picking up on her mood, Derek smirked and stepped closer, causing Casey to move back. "Derek . . ." she said warningly.

He stopped when he had her pinned between his body and her bedroom wall. "What?" he asked softly, his eyes on her lips.

"You know this can't happen right now. Not with a house full of people," she said, trying not to get sucked into his gaze. It was hard not to. She could practically feel the attraction in the air between them. It was almost like a physical thing.

"That makes it even better," Derek replied, running his tongue down the skin of her neck.

"Oh hell . . ." Casey said softly, clenching her fists at her sides. If he didn't stop soon, she knew she would throw caution to the wind and jump him. She didn't care who was home.

He was nibbling on her neck now, his hands finding their way underneath her shirt and caressing the skin of her stomach right below her breasts. Derek was teasing her and she knew it. And he _knew_ she knew it. It was driving her crazy. "Derek . . ." she moaned, her head resting against the wall, baring her neck to him. The towel on her head came loose and fell to the floor.

Derek saw that as an act of submission and moved his hands to her breasts, lightly squeezing them and teasing her nipples with the pads of his thumbs until they were taut.

"What do you want?" he asked lowly in her ear before biting her lobe gently.

A dam broke within her and she grabbed his head in her hands and kissed him wildly, her tongue forcing its way into his mouth. Casey nipped at his lips and did battle with his tongue before breaking away and staring at him intently.

He answered her stare with one of his own, his breaths coming fast and his eyes as wide as they could be. He was waiting – waiting for her to give him the go-ahead to do what he's been wanting to do for a long time. Derek wanted to hear it from her own lips – letting him know that she wanted it too. 'Fuck me, Derek,' or 'Make love to me, Derek,' or even 'Let's get it on, Derek.' He didn't care how she said it. He just wanted to hear it.

They held each other's gaze for a moment before a knock on the door made them jump apart. "Casey, phone!" Marti said through the door.

"OK, thanks. I'll be right there!" she called back while giving Derek an apologetic look.

He sighed and went to sit down in her computer chair. He watched as she straightened her clothes and opened the door to grab the extension in the hallway. "I got it, you can hang up now!" Casey yelled down the stairs before speaking to whoever was on the phone.

Satisfied that the call was now private, Casey spoke. "Hello?"

"Hey Case. How are ya?" Emily's voice sounded on the other end.

Casey smiled. "I'm good, Em, and you?" she asked her gaze on Derek. He rolled his eyes and rose from the chair. Signaling that he was going, she nodded in acknowledgement and watched as he cracked open the door and peeked out before quickly leaving.

"I'm fine. I was just calling to get the lowdown on last night," said Emily.

Casey knew that Emily would be calling today, seeing as how she decided not to go to Homecoming this year out of respect for Sheldon. Casey tried to talk her out of it, but Emily wasn't budging. "Look, Case. I'm not going to go just to go, you know? It would feel weird to be there with anyone besides Shel, and I'm not going to tag along on your date with Noel. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. It's OK," she had said, finally convincing Casey.

She knew she had a lot to tell Emily. Casey was done keeping secrets from her friend and neighbor. "Are you busy today, Em? I could come over and tell you all about it."

Emily squealed. "Yes! I was hoping you would say that! I have no plans whatsoever today, so you can head over whenever you want."

Casey laughed. "OK, then. Let me get dressed and straighten up some things around here and I'll be over in about an hour, sound good?"

"Sounds great. I'll see you then," Emily said before ringing off.

Casey sighed deeply and sat on her bed. Her thoughts were whirling and her body was still thrumming from Derek's kisses and touch. She wanted nothing more than to go next door and jump him, but her rational mind took over. 'That's not the way you want it to happen.' She shook her head before heading into the bathroom to blow dry her hair and put on some light make-up (lip gloss and mascara).

After making her bed and putting her dirty clothes in the hamper, Casey stepped out of her room and surveyed the situation. Derek's door was closed, as was Lizzie's. Marti's door was open and Casey knew she was downstairs because she could hear her talking with George. Casey sighed and remembered that she had promised Lizzie they would sit down and talk a bit about last night. She glimpsed her watch. She had a half hour before she needed to be at Emily's. She headed for Lizzie's room and knocked on the door.

"Yeah?" Lizzie said through the door.

"It's me," Casey answered.

"Come in."

Casey opened the door to find her sister on her bed reading a magazine. "Hey."

Lizzie smiled and closed the magazine. "Hey. What's up?" she asked.

Casey went and sat down on the end of Lizzie's bed. "Well, I wanted to get more info about your night with Jamie."

Lizzie's face flushed and her eyes shown with happiness. "Well, I pretty much told you everything last night before bed, but there _is_ a little tidbit that I didn't mention."

"What is it?" Casey was very curious now. She couldn't stand it when someone knew something she didn't.

Lizzie moved forward and looked around as if she expected someone to jump out and surprise them. "Well," she said conspiratorially, "Jamie told me he loved me."

"Liz! Oh my god! No way! Really? That is so awesome!" Casey yelled before jumping across the bed and tackling her sister in a hug.

Lizzie laughed and hugged her sister back with all her might. She was sure that life couldn't get any better than this. "I know," she said as she untangled herself from Casey's arms. "It's true. I have the _Best_. _Boyfriend_. _Ever_," she said, enunciating the words.

Casey chuckled. "Well, I always knew you two were meant to be. Even when _you_ didn't," she said, lightly hitting Lizzie on the shoulder.

Lizzie rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. It just took me awhile to see what was right in front of me, that's all."

"Well, that's usually the way it happens. Someone comes along when you least expect it and you're not looking. It's Murphy's Law," Casey said simply while shrugging her shoulders.

Lizzie nodded. "That sounds about right." She paused before asking, "So, tell me more about your night with Noel. Did you guys hit it off or what?" she asked wagging her eyebrows.

'God, that's something that Derek would do,' Casey thought idly as she studied her sister's cheesy expression. She smiled. "Well, Noel's a great guy, and I had a nice time . . ." she said before trailing off.

Lizzie waited a beat and then, "I sense a 'but' coming."

Casey sighed and picked at her jeans. "But Noel's not my type. We'll never be anything more than friends."

Lizzie nodded and examined her sister's face. There was definitely something else that Casey wasn't telling her, but she wasn't going to push it. Casey would tell her when she was ready. "Well, I'm glad you went anyway," Lizzie said lamely.

"Yeah, me too," Casey said.

They sat there in silence for a moment until Casey got up to leave. She was stopped by her sister's voice. "That was some weird shit with Amy, huh?"

Casey turned and faced Lizzie. "Yeah, it was. I feel sorry for Max."

Lizzie was surprised and looked it. "Really? After what he did to you?"

Casey shrugged. "It was a while ago now. I'm over it. Besides, I wouldn't wish his situation on my worst enemy," she said somewhat cryptically.

Lizzie was confused. "What situation?"

"Dating someone who is an addict," Casey said matter-of-factly before turning to leave.

Lizzie sat there with her mouth hanging open and watched her sister leave. She didn't move for a long time after that, just taking in what Casey said. It made sense, then, and Lizzie, too, felt badly for Max – and for Amy. She was also glad that it wasn't her. She didn't know how she would handle being involved with someone who had a substance-abuse problem. She didn't think she could. Suddenly needing to talk to Jamie, she grabbed her cell phone and dialed his number, letting out a breath of relief when he answered. "Hey baby," he said warmly.

"Hey Jamie . . ."

* * *

Casey headed over to Emily's somewhat reluctantly. What she _really_ wanted to do was lock herself in her room with Derek and get naked. She mentally slapped herself and knocked on the door.

An excited Emily faced her a moment later. "Hey! Come in, come in," Emily said, grabbing Casey's arm and dragging her up the stairs. Casey barely had a chance to wave hello to Emily's parents before she found herself in Emily's room.

They sat down together on Emily's bed. "Spill, Case. I want to hear _everything_."

Casey made herself comfortable and for the next few hours brought Emily up to speed on what had happened. From the picture-taking torture to Derek's reaction to her dress to Noel being such a gentleman to Edwin and Amanda to Amy's meltdown to her and Derek's moment outside the school to Noel's kissing her and finally, what happened _after_. Casey felt nervous telling Emily everything, even as the words were coming out of her mouth. She was afraid that her friend would judge her.

Emily sat quietly and listened, occasionally nodding and smiling when she found something amusing. Upon hearing what happened with Amy, Emily's eyes got wide and she put a hand over her mouth. "Oh my god! She sounds royally messed up."

Casey nodded. "Yeah, it's pretty bad. I actually feel sorry for Max if you can believe that."

Emily agreed. "The guy's a jerk, but even he doesn't deserve that."

"It's not even that. I mean, someone should tell Amy that she needs to get in rehab or something," Casey said urgently making Emily raise her brows at her.

"Do you think she would listen?" Emily asked.

Casey shrugged. "Who knows." Her eyes blankly wandered over the walls of Emily's room as she spoke. "All I know is that I have a really bad feeling, Em. I'm worried."

"About Amy?"

Casey nodded. "Yeah." Her eyes met Emily's. "She's a bitch and a skank, but you didn't see her, Em. It's like the Amy we knew is gone. She's not her anymore. Something else has taken over . . ." Casey said, her voice trailing off. At Emily's expression, she added quickly, "I know I sound kind of crazy . . ."

Emily put a hand up to interrupt. "No, you don't. I think it's really cool that even after all you've been through at the hands of Max and Amy that you're still concerned about them. Most people wouldn't give two shits about their ex and his girlfriend."

Casey huffed out a laugh. "Well, I'm not saying I want to be buddy-buddy with them or anything, but I wish there was something I could do."

Emily nodded. "Well, enough about them, tell me more about you and Derek . . ." she said with a sly look on her face.

Casey blushed. "Oh, Em. It was . . . well, I don't even know how to describe it. But when we look at each other, it's like there's this connection between us, you know? He makes me weak in the knees," she said softly, ducking her head in embarrassment.

Emily reached across the bed and took Casey's hand. "Oh Case. That's so romantic! What else?" she asked eagerly, making Casey laugh.

Emily looked affronted. "What?"

"Nothing, Em. You're just so eager to hear everything, I guess I thought you might be mad at me or something," Casey said, not meeting Emily's eyes.

Emily was taken aback. "Why would I be mad at you?"

"Because when I first let you in on everything that was happening, you bawled me out pretty good."

Emily felt bad. "Case, I was really hurt that you had shut me out of your life and were keeping so many secrets from me, that's all. I mean, I was pretty surprised when you told me about Edwin and Derek, but I know you'll do the right thing. You always do," she said resolutely.

Casey raised her eyebrow. "Really? Cuz I don't even know what the right thing to do _is_."

Emily leaned forward and wrapped her arms around her friend. "You'll know, trust me. You'll know."

* * *

Derek was in his room on the computer but not really looking at the screen. He sat in his chair with his headphones on, tapping his fingers on the desk in front of him. He looked at his watch for the 15th time. He was supposed to be at work in 20 minutes, but he didn't want to leave without seeing Casey again. He blew out a breath and whipped off his headphones before standing up. Searching his floor, he spotted his Smelly Nellie's t-shirt balled up on the floor and grabbed it, sniffing it and deeming it wearable before taking off his Metallica shirt and pulling it over his head. He snagged his shoes and put them on before finger-combing his hair and grabbing his wallet. Another look at his watch. 'Dammit! I can't wait anymore,' he thought before heading out. He knew that Casey was next door, and he fought the urge to go over there. What would he say was the reason for him showing up? He couldn't think of anything that wouldn't draw suspicion, so he brushed that thought away and headed out.

* * *

Casey was just heading back when she spotted Derek pulling away in the Prince. Her heart jumped into her throat and she stifled the urge to run after him. She had wanted to spend more time with him that day, but she vaguely remembered him telling her that he had to work later. She felt her shoulders slump as she trudged back into the house and headed up the stairs. Maybe she would call Ashley and see if she could hang out for awhile. They hadn't spent much time together lately and Casey knew that Ashley would love to hear all about the dance. Smiling, she dialed Ashley's number and hoped she was there.

* * *

When Derek arrived at work he discreetly looked around for Sally. He thought that she had to work today, but there was no sign of her. Heading to the back he put on his apron and looked at the schedule. She was supposed to work but it looked like she had switched with Sue. Derek frowned. 'I guess she wasn't kidding when she said she didn't want to see me for awhile.' He sighed, punched in and went to work.

* * *

Casey had just got off the phone with Ashley when there was a knock on her bedroom door. "Come in," she called.

The door opened to reveal Edwin, who looked somewhat apprehensive.

Casey smiled. "Hi Ed, what's up?" she asked cheerfully. She was determined to make things as normal as possible between them. She was hoping that Edwin would accept her lead and they could segue into just a brother/sister relationship again. Casey wasn't sure it would work, but she was going to try.

Edwin loitered just inside her room before she decided to take pity on him and motioned him in. He smiled and shut the door behind him. Perching on her computer chair, he said, "I just wanted to see if you had a good time last night."

Casey smiled benignly. "Yeah, it was nice." She didn't want to come off as having too good a time for fear of hurting Edwin's feelings. "What about you?"

Edwin's eyes flicked to hers before they moved away again. "Yeah, I had a good time too."

Casey nodded in agreement and they sat there in silence until she couldn't stand it anymore. "So, is there something you needed?" She hoped she didn't sound like she was trying to push him out, but she _did_ need to leave soon.

Edwin sat there rubbing his hand on his thigh nervously and looking everywhere but her. He seemed to be trying to get his nerve up to say something because his mouth would open and then he would snap it shut like he changed his mind.

"Edwin." Casey said sharply, making his eyes snap to hers. "Just say whatever is on your mind. You know you can tell me anything," she added with a reassuring smile.

That seemed to put him at ease and he blurted out, "I miss you, Case."

Casey's eyes widened and she bit her lip. "I . . . I miss you too, Ed." And she did. She missed hanging out with him and talking about anything and everything . . . she just didn't want it to go any further than that.

Edwin's eyes lit up at her statement. "You do?"

She had to tread lightly here. "Well, yeah. I miss hanging out with you and talking."

His eyes dulled a little at that. "Oh, well, yeah, me too." He didn't seem to know what else to say and rose quickly. "Well, I guess I'll get out of your hair. You probably have homework or something to do."

Casey felt horrible and didn't want him to leave feeling badly. "Ed, wait!"

He turned and looked at her with a guarded expression on his face. "Yeah?"

Now, of course, her mind went blank and she scrambled for something to say. "Oh, um, I was wondering if you could do me a favor."

"What?" He asked flatly.

Casey swallowed. "Well, I need a ride somewhere. Do you think you could take me to Ash's place? I haven't hung out with her in awhile and she's dying to hear all about the dance."

Edwin stared at her for a minute before nodding. "Sure. I can do that. When do you need to leave?"

Casey smiled widely before answering. "Is 10 minutes OK?"

He nodded in reply. "Yeah, I'll grab my keys and wallet and meet you down there."

"OK, thanks Ed. I really appreciate it."

He smiled before leaving.

**Review please!**


	60. Chapter 60

**A.N. My dear readers, I have resisted writing this chapter because I lost my muse for a time. I want to thank those of you for your kind words of encouragement. It's always nice to hear that you're missed. I hope you enjoy. This one's a monster!**

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but a Chia pet.

**Chapter Sixty: Surrender**

The ride to Ashley's was mostly silent as Edwin drove and Casey sat silently in the front seat, her face angled away from him. Edwin chanced a few glances at her and noticed the way her hands were clenched in her lap – a sure sign of her nervousness.

Meanwhile, Casey was desperate to make things right between them. All she wanted was to turn back the clock and go back to the way things were six months ago before she and Edwin had ever became involved. Of course, she realized that was impossible, and was now struggling to make it all OK. "So . . ." she started, taking a deep breath and turning her head to look at Edwin. "Amanda seems really nice. You should ask her out."

Edwin jerked his head toward her in surprise. "Really?" he asked before turning his attention once more to the road.

"Yeah, why not?" Casey plowed ahead, trying to make her voice sound normal. "I think you two would make a great couple." She threw in a smile for effect.

Edwin glanced back at her, his eyes narrowed. "Hmmm," he murmured noncommittally.

"What?" Casey asked, her smile faltering.

"Nothing," he said reaching forward to turn the radio on, effectively halting their conversation.

They rode in silence the rest of the way.

A few minutes later they were pulling up in front of Ashley's apartment building. Casey undid her seatbelt and grabbed the door handle. Before exiting the car, she turned toward her younger stepbrother. "Thanks for giving me a ride, Ed. I really appreciate it."

"No problem," he said amiably, but his eyes were elsewhere, his fingers restlessly tapping on the steering wheel.

Casey sighed and opened the door. When she was almost out, Edwin spoke again. "Case?"

She stopped and leaned in to look at him. "Yeah?"

He gazed at her a moment and seemed to change his mind. "Uh, do you need a ride home?"

She stared at him for a bit before answering. "No, thanks anyway. I got it covered."

He nodded but said nothing. Casey smiled and shut the door, feeling his eyes on her all the way to the door. She pushed the button to be let in and turned to wave. He sat there, obviously waiting until she went in before leaving. That touched her. Edwin was always looking out for her, no matter what. She really was blessed to have family like him. Hearing the buzz, she turned and pulled the door open before throwing one last wave his way. He waved back and pulled away.

Casey practically ran up the stairs to Ashley's apartment and found the door already open. "Hello?" she said as she entered the room.

"Hey girl!" came Ashley's voice from the kitchen. The smell of baking cookies hit Casey's nose and her mouth watered. She _loved_ fresh-baked cookies.

Casey moved farther into the apartment and headed for the kitchen. Ashley was bent over the open oven removing a sheet of cookies when Casey saw her. "Mmmmm, those smell delicious."

Ashley shut the oven and placed the sheet on top of the burners before turning to her. "Don't they? Let them cool for a few and then we'll dig in," she said before removing her oven mitts and coming around the counter to hug her. "Damn woman, I've missed you!" she said into Casey's shoulder.

Casey smiled and hugged her best friend tight. "I missed you too. I'm sooooo sorry I've been neglecting you lately. Please forgive me?" she said as she moved back, her hands lingering on Ashley's arms.

Ashley studied her face for a moment before cracking a smile. "Shit, I could never be mad at you! Come, sit, and tell me everything that's been happening with you," she said, pulling Casey with her to the living room and the sofa where they both dropped unceremoniously.

Casey huffed out a laugh, and proceeded to catch Ashley up on everything that had been going on.

* * *

Derek was conflicted. He was having both a really good day and a really lousy day. On one hand, he was in a good mood; thoughts of Casey floating through his head. On the other hand, he was irritated that he couldn't be with her. He was missing her something awful_._ He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, his eyes moving over his tables making sure his customers didn't need anything. Satisfied they were taken care of, he moved toward the back, and started whistling, his thoughts once again going back to the night before. The way Casey looked coming down the stairs; her skin, her dress, her hair, the way she smelled. Derek felt his body responding to his thoughts and subtly adjusted himself. He glanced at his watch and grimaced. There were still at least five hours left in his shift. Squaring his shoulders, he tried to put his stepsister out of his mind for the moment and set about distracting himself with work.

* * *

A few hours and many cookies later, Casey and Ashley sat together on the couch laughing, tears coming out of their eyes. Casey was gasping and clutching her stomach. "Stop! Stop!" she said, trying not to wet her pants.

This made Ashley laugh louder. She had been regaling Casey with stories of overly zealous customers at the club and had gone into extensive detail about an elderly man who had developed a crush on her. Apparently he wanted to put Ashley in his will if she would give him free lap dances for the remainder of his life, which Ashley speculated was not that long.

They settled down and Casey leaned forward to grab her glass of milk. After taking a big drink, she said, "Ugh, I think I ate too many cookies. I've got a stomach ache."

Ashley snorted and took a sip of her own drink before answering. "I'm sorry. I guess my cookies are just too good," she said smiling.

"Yes they are," Casey agreed, leaning back and putting her feet on the table. Taking a deep breath, she reveled in the fact that she had a friend like Ashley who she could totally be herself with; who knew almost everything about her and never judged; she just supported and gave advice when asked. Smiling, Casey turned her head to look at her friend, who seemed to be deep in thought all of a sudden, her gaze intent on the wall. "Hey," Casey said, reaching over to put a hand on Ashley's arm, "Whatcha thinking about?"

Ashley broke her gaze from the wall in front of her to look at Casey. A small smile appeared. "Oh, nothing. I just have a lot going on right now," she said vaguely.

Casey was intrigued then felt guilty. She hardly knew anything about Ashley outside of what she had asked her. Ashley never volunteered anything on her own, and that made Casey even more interested. "Tell me what's going on with you," she said, turning her body toward her friend.

Ashley shifted on the couch, looking a bit uncomfortable. "Oh, it's nothing really. I'm overreacting as usual," she said, tucking a bit of hair behind her ear.

Casey sighed. "Ash, why are you always so secretive? Aren't we supposed to be best friends?"

Ashley pinned her with a look. "We _are_ best friends Casey. Just because I don't tell you everything about everything doesn't mean we're not."

Casey could tell that Ashley was getting upset and decided to back off – for now. "I'm sorry, Ash. I just want to know more about you is all. You know practically everything about me and it seems like I know nothing about you."

At this, Ashley's eyes softened and she reached out and covered Casey's hand with her own. "It's alright. I understand. I just don't like talking about myself very much. There's really not much to tell anyway," she said with a soft smile on her face. "Besides, I'd much rather hear about you."

Casey knew Ashley was trying to change the subject, so she decided to just let it happen. They spent the rest of the night chatting about the dance and watching movies. A few hours later, Casey realized she was almost past her curfew. "Damn, I need to get home," she said looking over at her friend who had fallen asleep watching the last movie.

Casey smiled softly. Not willing to wake Ashley to ask for ride, Casey looked at her watch and wondered if Derek was still at work. Even if he wasn't, she was sure he would come and pick her up. Grabbing her cell phone, she pressed Speed Dial #3 for Derek. She would never tell him this, but he was behind only her mother and Ashley in her phone directory. The thought made her smile and she realized yet again how deep she was in with him.

Her thoughts were broken by Derek's voice. "Hi Case."

If possible, her smile widened further. "Hey Derek," she said trying to sound nonchalant.

"What's up?"

"I was wondering if you were still at work."

"Yeah, just getting ready to head out in a few, why?"

"Could you pick me up at Ashley's place on your way home?"

He pretended to deliberate. "Well, it's really not on my way home . . ."

She interrupted. "Derek, please . . . ?"

Casey heard him exhale a deep breath. "Oh, alright."

She smiled into the phone. "Great. I'll see you in a bit."

"OK," he replied in a low voice.

They hung up and Casey got ready to go, trying to be quiet as she picked up the apartment and grabbed the blanket to cover Ashley before heading outside to wait for Derek.

True to his word, Derek pulled up 15 minutes later sporting a big grin on his face. That look made Casey smirk as she opened the door and slid in. They rode in silence for a bit until Derek spoke. "So how's Ashley doin?"

Casey turned her head from where she was watching out the window to look at Derek. "She's fine."

Derek nodded but said nothing. Casey started to feel a bit uncomfortable with the lack of conversation and wondered what was going through Derek's mind. Derek, for the most part, was wondering the same thing, and was surprised at the awkwardness of the situation.

After a few more beats of silence, Derek decided to go out on a limb. "I wanted to spend a little more time with you this afternoon before I went to work . . ." he said, letting the statement hang out there.

Casey felt warm inside. "I know, I'm sorry. Em and I got to talking and you know how she is . . ." she replied her eyes on Derek's hands. She was thinking about the night previous and what his hands had felt like on her body.

Derek glanced over at Casey's fidgeting and fought a smirk. On the spur of the moment, he turned right at the next intersection instead of going straight toward home.

"Derek . . .?" Casey said with a confused look on her face. "Where are you going?"

Derek smiled but kept his eyes forward. Casey was very curious now but said nothing, watching and waiting as Derek pulled onto a side street and veered to the curb under a heavy smattering of trees. He put the car in park and turned off the engine before unbuckling his seatbelt and angling his body toward her.

Casey resisted the urge to giggle and sat still, instead waiting for him to make the first move.

They sat there for what seemed like forever but was probably only a few minutes before Derek sighed and rolled his eyes. "Come here already," he said, reaching across the seat to grab Casey's wrist. She came willingly, moving into his arms and wrapping herself around him. She breathed in the scent of him, which she noted with a smile was his regular Derek-smell mixed with the stench of Smelly Nellie's kitchen. Ignoring it, she buried her face in his neck, breathing open-mouthed against him. She didn't have time to enjoy it, however, before she felt him tilting her head up to claim her lips with his, and then everything else faded away – her curfew, the fact that they were making out in a car on a public street for anyone to see – none of it mattered as much as how he, Derek, _her stepbrother_, made her feel.

Casey didn't know how it happened, just that it did – how she came to be straddling Derek in the driver's seat, her crotch frantically grinding against his, her mouth on the skin of his neck, hands in his hair. Derek gave just as good as he got, his hips moving to create friction between them, one hand up Casey's shirt covering her breast and the other moving along her thigh, clenching and unclenching. He couldn't breathe, but he never wanted it to end. He felt himself spinning, his mind going in a million different directions, but it all pointed back to her, Casey, _his stepsister_, the one he couldn't get his mind off of, who he couldn't or wouldn't be without. The thought surged up inside of him, coming from somewhere near his feet and rushing through his body. He felt himself get impossibly harder and he knew he needed to be inside of her _right now_.

Derek pulled away from Casey and took the chance to grab the hem of her t-shirt and pulled it over her head. This took her off guard. "Derek! What . . .?"

He cut her off. "Shhhh . . . just . . . I need you, Case. I can't wait anymore," he said while reaching around her back to undo her bra. When it was open he dragged it down her arms and threw it into the back seat. Not wasting any time, he wrapped his arms around Casey and brought her to him, leaning the rest of the way to capture a nipple in his mouth, making her gasp and clench her hands on his shoulders.

"Ah, god," Casey whispered, bucking herself in his lap. Derek groaned around her breast and moved his hands to her ass, squeezing and moving her hips on him for more friction. Casey threw her head back and reveled in the feeling of Derek's erection against her center. Her body thrummed with pleasure and a gush of wetness rushed between her legs, soaking her panties. Growling, she grabbed Derek's head and he released her nipple with a 'pop!'. She brought their lips together and wound her tongue with his, making them both moan with pleasure. Her hands moved from their place on either side of his head, down his chest to the hem of his shirt, where she urged him to break apart and lean forward so she could remove it. Once that was done, he crushed their bodies back together, her breasts pressed against his chest. Derek loved the feeling of the bare skin of his chest against hers. It made him even harder, if that was possible.

Casey's breath came in pants against Derek's cheek, her hands clenching and unclenching on his shoulders. Her heart was nearly beating out of her chest and she struggled to keep her equilibrium. She started at the feel of Derek's hands at her waistband, fiddling with the button on her jeans. Casey hesitated before moving off Derek and finishing the job, straightening her legs and pushing the denim to the floor. Derek watched with heated eyes and for a moment Casey felt self-conscious about her lack of clothing. That feeling quickly went by the wayside as she caught the look on Derek's face – a mix of lust, awe and something that Casey couldn't quite pin down. Regardless, it made her body tingle and she traversed the space between them, her hands going to his waistband. Derek got the hint and unsnapped his jeans, his hands moving quickly over the zipper. At the sight of his boxers, Casey's center throbbed and she bit back a moan.

"God," she heard Derek say as he grabbed her and kissed her, their lips moving over the others' sinfully. Derek's hand went to Casey's stomach and his fingers trailed along the top of her panties, making Casey spread her legs in invitation. Derek needed none and plunged his hand under the fabric, his fingers finding her folds.

Casey gasped and threw her head back against the seat, her body moving against his hand, trying to create friction. "Derek . . ." she said/half moaned as he thrust a finger inside and proceeded to fuck her with it.

"Ah, so wet . . ." Derek said as he watched the emotions play over his stepsister's face. 'Damn' he thought in wonder as he watching her writhing in pleasure – all because of him. His dick jumped and with his free hand, he adjusted himself, his hand lingering to rub a bit. He felt Casey's eyes on him and raised his head.

The sight of her feverish eyes pushed him over the edge. "God, Case, I want you so bad. Let's move to the back seat," he said releasing her to start climbing over the seat. Casey straightened up and watched him scramble into the back. As much as she wanted her stepbrother, she just couldn't bring herself to have her first time in the backseat of a car.

"Derek . . ." she started, making him whip his head up at her.

"Yeah?" he asked while grabbing her wrist and attempting to drag her over the seat.

Casey pulled back her arm out of his grasp. "Derek, wait!" she said, her rising voice snapping him out of his haze of lust.

"What?" he asked annoyed. He felt his ire go up and struggled not to snap at her.

Casey knew her stepbrother well and recognized his "You're annoying me" look. Her back went up and she bit back a nasty retort. "Derek, you know I want you," she said looking into his eyes, "but I can't have my first time be in the backseat of the Prince."

Derek said nothing, his face impenetrable. At that moment, Casey had no idea what Derek was thinking. He let her know a moment later.

The sound of his fist hitting the back of the front seat startled her. "Goddamn it, Casey! I can't fucking take this anymore! You wind me up and then shut me down! How many times are we gonna go through this?" he said practically yelling in her face.

Casey involuntarily shrank back from his voice. She felt tears spring to her eyes and furiously blinked them back. Her body started shaking as she grabbed her clothes and swiftly pulled them on. "You know what, Derek? Fuck you! I thought we were past all this, but I guess I was wrong! You're still the same prick you've always been! I bet the whole thing," she said waving her arms between the two of them, "has been about getting into my pants. I bet you don't even give a crap about me. It's always been about putting another notch in your bedpost. Well, I'm not playing anymore, Derek. It's over, it's all over!" she said as she pulled on her shoes and went to open the door. "I'm walking home!" she announced before getting out and stomping away.

She heard Derek yelling behind her. "Dammit, Casey, get back here!" His voice sounded muffled and Casey could imagine him dressing while trying to talk to her. "Casey!" he shouted, his voice clear again, "you can't walk home! It's like 20 blocks!"

Casey ignored him and continued walking, her pace determined. She couldn't fight the tears anymore and they streamed down her face, dropping off her chin and onto her shirt. She paid no attention. She was _so_ done with Derek. She knew getting involved with him was a mistake, she just knew it. But her stupid body had to betray her and want him – badly. And him turning all sweet? Well, that didn't help either. But now she knew that it was just an act. She knew that he had wanted to use her all along. And Casey MacDonald was not going to be used. Not again.

She heard the Prince start behind her and her pace quickened. Derek came up beside her in the car. "Casey, get in the damn car," he said through clenched teeth.

Casey didn't even spare him a glance. "Go to hell."

"Fuck!" Derek yelled before hitting the steering wheel with his fist. "You've got it all wrong! I'm just frustrated, OK? I can't keep doing this, it's like we're stuck in neutral or something."

Casey laughed bitterly before meeting his eyes. "Well, feel free to go somewhere else to get off," she said before turning forward again.

Derek rolled his eyes. "Why are you always such a bitch? I mean, I'm trying to apologize here . . ."

Casey didn't let him finish. "Apologize? You call this an apology? This is the worst fucking apology in the history of apologies! An apology . . ." she said before trailing off. She didn't need his lame apologies. What she needed was a ride out of here and away from him. She couldn't bear to look at him right now. Unfortunately, it was after midnight and there was no one she could call. She thought about Emily, but quickly vetoed that idea. She would no doubt be in bed already, her pregnancy demanding it. There was no way she was calling her mom or George – that would only bring more questions. She could call Ashley, but she hated to wake her up. Sighing, she resigned herself to the fact of walking home. Now she just had to get rid of Derek. "Go away, Derek," she said, interrupting his diatribe about how bitchy and uptight she was.

Derek continued to navigate the Prince beside her at two miles per hour. He was leaning over the front seat, one hand on the wheel and the other reaching toward her like he wanted to pull her through the window. "Casey, I'm not telling you again. GET. IN. THE. CAR!"

Casey stopped and whirled toward her infuriating stepbrother. "AND I'M TELLING YOU, FUCK OFF AND DIE!" she yelled at the top of her lungs before turning and starting to run. She heard Derek swear loudly before pulling the Prince off the road and shutting it off. The sound of the door slamming behind her made her run faster.

She could hear his pounding footsteps behind her. Derek was no runner like Edwin, but he wasn't slow, either. Pushing herself to the limit, Casey's breaths came quick and she felt a sweat break out on her skin.

"Casey, stop already!" Derek yelled behind her.

She ignored him and continued running, but was quickly running out of gas. Her legs cramped and she felt a pain in her side. She was used to jogging, not full-out running at high speeds. She could feel Derek gaining on her, his breath practically at her back.

Derek grabbed Casey's arm, causing them both to stumble and fall. They went down hard – Casey's knees scraping painfully against the gravel on the side of the road and Derek landing on her back with an "Oomph!"

Casey immediately started struggling. "Get off me, Derek!" she said, thrashing her arms and legs against him.

He rolled off her but didn't let go of her arm. Somehow he managed to get to his feet with his grip of her still intact. Casey, however, wasn't going quietly – she started loudly cussing him out and was fighting him hard.

Derek was beyond angry now – all he wanted to do was make sure Casey got home safe – but as usual, she was making things extremely difficult. "Shut up, Casey," he gritted out as he dragged her back to the car. "Don't you have any respect? People around here have jobs."

Casey stopped bitching long enough to snort out a laugh. "Since when do you worry about other people? And respect? I didn't think you even knew what that means," she added scornfully.

Derek's jaw clenched but he said nothing. He knew Casey was just trying to bait him again. She was good at it, but he wasn't playing her game right then. He was concentrating on getting her ass in the car before she clawed the skin of his arm off. It already felt like she had drawn blood, but he barely felt the sting. He was running on pure adrenaline.

After what seemed like an eternity, Derek had Casey at the car and was trying to open the door without letting his grip on her loosen. She was still struggling pretty good and he had a vague thought that she would have bruises in the shape of his fingers on her arm in the morning. The sound of Casey's voice startled him. "You're going to have to let me go sometime, Derek," she said in a deceptively calm voice. "You can't hang on to me forever," she added in a tone that implied a deeper meaning.

Derek stopped what he was doing and looked at his stepsister. She was breathing heavily and her face was flushed. Her hair was in tangles and she had a hole in the knee of her jeans from when she fell. Her eyes were what got him – they were angry and hurt – two things that Derek usually hated to see in her face. Right now, though, he was having trouble rustling up feelings of sympathy.

He took a deep breath before speaking. "Now, I'm going to let you go so I can unlock the car. Don't try to run or you'll be sorry," he said giving her a look of warning.

Casey snorted. "What are you going to do? Drag me into the car by my hair?"

"If I have to," Derek answered levelly, making Casey shoot him a glare.

He smirked before letting her go and quickly unlocking the car. Casey thought about lighting out again but she just didn't have the energy. When Derek reached over and unlocked the passenger door, she glumly opened it and slid in, vowing not to look at him all the way home.

He started the car and they drove in silence for a bit until he spoke again. "Casey, will you let me explain why I was so pissed?"

"I know why you're so pissed. It's because you're tired of waiting to get into my pants," Casey snapped, her arms crossed snottily across her chest.

Derek sighed. "Well, most girls I know would be flattered that I want them," he blurted before thinking.

Casey barked out a laugh. "Well, I'm not most girls, am I?"

"No, you're not. You're the most irritating, uppity, prudish chick I've ever met!" Derek said his voice rising.

That made Casey shoot him a glare that could melt the paint off metal. "Oh, that's rich, coming from the biggest man-whore ever!"

"I'm not a man-whore!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Fuck you!"

"Go to hell!"

"Prick!"

"Cocktease!"

"I'm never touching you again!"

"Same to you, sweetheart!"

The rest of ride was made in silence, the tension as thick as pea soup. When Derek arrived home, Casey jumped out the car before he had put it into Park. He sat there for a moment watching her stomp up the walkway and swore loudly. He knew it – he was screwed. Or not screwed, whichever way you wanted to look at it.

* * *

_Monday_

Monday morning was tense in the MacDonald-Venturi household. George and Nora exchanged glances as they observed their eldest eating breakfast and studiously ignoring one another. Although they were used to the fighting, screaming and carrying on that accompanied Casey and Derek's relationship, they were not accustomed to the silence. Even Edwin, Marti and Lizzie knew something was wrong and decided to keep quiet.

After breakfast, Casey snagged Edwin in the hall. "Ed, can I catch a ride with you today?"

Edwin studied his stepsister a moment before replying. "Yeah, sure. Is everything OK?"

Casey smiled but it was obviously fake. "Of course. I'll meet you downstairs in ten."

Edwin nodded and continued on to the attic.

Meanwhile, Derek was slamming the drawers shut a little too enthusiastically and grumbling under his breath. He still couldn't believe how badly Casey had overreacted. As usual, she went off the deep end and chose to believe the worst about him without even letting him explain. There was a twinge deep in his gut that knew he behaved badly the night before, but what Casey did was so much worse than him . . . well, he had to keep telling himself that in order not to give in and go begging on his hands and knees to her door for forgiveness. Derek Venturi did not beg.

School was hell. Casey's usual enthusiasm for learning was definitely absent on this day. All she could think about was her fight with Derek. "Fight" wasn't even the right word for it. It seemed so much more serious than that. Her stomach dropped as she realized that her and Derek's relationship – in any form – could be irretrievably broken. She sighed and headed to her next class.

* * *

Casey had managed to avoid running into Derek so far, although she knew that was basically impossible at home. Doesn't mean she wasn't going to try her hardest, though. On her way to lunch, she spied Max at his locker and found herself headed toward him. She hadn't seen Amy and wondered if she was still in jail.

"Hey Max," she said softly causing him to whirl around in surprise.

Max studied Casey with wide eyes. She was the last person he expected to get a visit from. "Uh, hey Casey. How are you?"

Casey shifted her books to her other arm. "I'm fine," she said before plowing ahead. "I wanted to see how you were doing, you know, after what happened on Saturday . . . with Amy," she added lamely.

Max looked at the floor before answering. "Uh yeah, well, I'm fine, I guess," he said before raising his head to meet her eyes. He rubbed his neck sheepishly. "Things got a bit out of control."

Casey nodded slightly. "How's she doing?"

Max puffed out a breath. "Well, she's home . . . I guess. I mean, I don't know. We broke up."

Casey couldn't say she was honestly surprised. "I'm sorry to hear that." She didn't know what else to say.

Max shrugged. "Well, it was coming for a long time. She, uh, has issues," he said looking away from her.

Casey knew all too well what those issues were. But it wasn't like she was going to say, _"Oh, hey! I saw your girlfriend sucking my boyfriend's cock!"_ No, she definitely wasn't going to mention that.

"Listen, Case," Max continued, making Casey snap to attention, "I just want to say 'I'm sorry' for how things ended between us. I never meant to hurt you."

Six months ago, hearing this would have made Casey's day, but now all she could rustle up was a faint smile. "Thanks, Max. That means a lot to hear you say that, but that's not why I came over here . . ."

"I know," he broke in, "Casey, I've been thinking . . . I've really missed you, and I realize what a mistake I made in breaking up with you. I was wondering if we could give it another chance . . . if you could give _me_ another chance," he said with a pleading look on his face.

To say that Casey was shocked was an understatement. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine this happening. Again, she knew that it was too late. Too much time had passed and she had moved on. "Um, Max, that's really sweet and all, but it's been a long time, and, well . . ." she trailed off, not sure what else to say.

Max smiled sadly. "It's OK, you don't have to explain. You've moved on, I can see it in your face."

Casey's eyes widened. She wasn't aware Max was even that observant to catch something like that. Her face flushed when the thought hit her. "Hey, I've got to run, but I'll see you around, OK?" she asked uncertainly. "Friends?" she added extending her hand out to him in a placating gesture.

He smiled and took her hand. "Friends it is," he said before pulling her to him and wrapping his arms around her.

Casey smiled into his shoulder before Max let her go and they went their separate ways.

* * *

Derek wasn't hungry. Correction: He _was_ hungry, but his appetite had vanished when he spied Casey and Max hugging in the hallway. 'She doesn't waste any time' he thought bitterly as he moped at the lunch table.

"Dude, what's your problem?" Sam asked with a leery look.

"Nothing," Derek bit out before taking a sip of his milk.

"You've been acting weird all day," Sam pushed.

"Drop it, dude!" Derek half-yelled making the people sitting around him turn in curiosity.

Sam looked around before leaning forward. "Derek, man, I haven't seen you this upset since your dad married Nora. Oh wait, they're not splitting up or anything, are they?" he asked his voice low.

Derek wished. Then he wouldn't have to see Casey's face ever again. Yeah, he knew he was being childish, but right now he didn't care.

"No, man, just . . . leave me alone," Derek said before grabbing his tray and heading out.

Casey watched his exit from the other side of the lunchroom and was half-tempted to follow him out and continue their fight, but she didn't want to cause a scene at school. Besides, what more was there to say? They both pretty much had burned their bridges. The things they had hurled at one another couldn't be taken back. They were out there, hanging, poisoning the air and whatever connection they had. It was over, and Casey would have to accept that.

* * *

_Tuesday_

Casey relished her time in the shower before she had to go downstairs and pretend that her life was normal; that she wasn't devastated by her feelings for her infuriating stepbrother; that she didn't think about him every second of the day – her emotions varying wildly from extreme want to burning hatred.

The sound of a fist pounding on the door ripped her from her tranquility.

"Open up! I have to piss!" Derek's voice sounded through the door, making Casey jump and scowl at the same time. She sighed and turned her back to the door, choosing to ignore him.

More pounding. "I know it's you," Derek said louder, not wanting her name to pass his lips. It made him choke for some reason. "Get your ass out of there before I break the door down!"

Casey decided to kill him with kindness. She employed the tactic that she knew irritated Derek the most: Her sickly sweet voice. "I'm sorry," she said, her voice dripping sugar, "You'll just have to wait your turn." She smirked as she rubbed the loofah over her skin.

She heard Derek curse loudly and cursed him back silently, not wanting him to wake the rest of the house. Casey had gotten up purposely early to avoid a confrontation like this. Why the hell was he up so early? She swore he did it on purpose. Casey had done a great job the night before avoiding her stepbrother and Derek was probably going nuts from the lack of attention. At least that's what she was telling herself.

Derek's voice again, only this time lower and more menacing. "I swear, princess, if you don't get the hell out of there in one minute, I will go into your room and piss all over your stuff."

Casey whirled in the shower, her mouth agape. Was he serious? 'Derek's lost it,' she decided but shut off the water anyway, reluctantly grabbing a towel to wrap around herself. She stomped to the door and ripped it open to reveal Derek standing there in just his sleep pants, a cocky smile on his face.

The urge to punch him was overwhelming, but Casey fought it and brushed past him, her eyes focused straight ahead. No other words were exchanged and Casey let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding when she heard the bathroom door slam. 'What an ass,' she thought angrily as she dried herself.

* * *

_Wednesday_

'This is unbearable,' Edwin thought as he sat at the dinner table with the rest of his family. The tension in the air was so thick you could cut it with a knife. A cliché, he knew, but he couldn't think of any other way to describe what was happening at that moment.

Casey and Derek were in a stand-off of sorts, their eyes glued to one another hatefully. Casey had one arm reached over the table, her hand on the bowl holding the potatoes. Derek sat opposite, mirroring her position. It was like a weird chess game – each was studying the other trying to figure out what their opponent's next move would be. Instead of cash or prestige, the prize was Nora's runny potatoes. Potatoes no one even really liked.

Edwin thought he might have fallen down a rabbit hole and woken up in another dimension.

"Let go, Derek," Casey said through clenched teeth.

A smirk. "You first."

A sigh from the end of the table. "Derek, be nice and let your sister have the potatoes first," George said tiredly. He was wary of anything upsetting Nora as she was at the tail end of her pregnancy. These days she did a lot of napping in between working reduced hours at her job. Needless to say, both she and George were more than ready for the baby to arrive.

Derek didn't even spare his dad a glance. "She's not my sister," he bit out, making Nora frown. She hadn't heard Derek utter that phrase for a long time and she didn't like hearing it now. Nora was under the impression that her eldest and Derek had been getting along. Was she wrong?

Nora was snapped out of her musing by the sound of her daughter's retort. "Thank god," Casey said haughtily. "If I actually shared DNA with you I'd have to kill myself!"

"Hey!" Marti chimed in, taking offense.

Casey quickly amended herself. "No offense, Marti."

Marti didn't answer but continued to glare at Casey. Derek laughed and pulled on the bowl harder.

Casey yanked her arm back and a game of tug of war commenced that had everyone at the table yelling for them to quit. Casey and Derek ignored them, their eyes never leaving the others' as the fought about so much more than a bowl of crappy potatoes.

Chaos was quickly erupting as George stood from the table so fast that his chair went flying backward. Nora was borderline crying and begging that they stop. Marti and Lizzie were half-cheering – Lizzie for Casey and Marti for Derek, and Edwin was just staring in awe at what his family had deteriorated into. Casey and Derek were half out of their seats and Casey now had both hands on the bowl. Derek seemed to be toying with her as he only still had one hand on the bowl.

Casey seemed to realize a second too late what Derek intended to do. Her eyes widened as she felt herself falling backward, the bowl still clutched in her hands. Her backward momentum was too great to stop but she tried anyway, involuntarily letting go of the bowl to brace her fall. It clattered to the floor, spraying potatoes everywhere. Casey heard a scream and then realized it was her as she hit the floor hard, her head cracking against the wood.

"Casey!" her mother cried, coming to her aid. Nora struggled to kneel down beside her, the girth of her pregnancy making it difficult. George appeared beside her.

"Nora, go sit down. I'll help Casey," he said, reaching out a hand.

Casey blinked a few times to clear her head before taking her stepfather's hand and getting to her feet. All the chaos from a few minutes before had disappeared, leaving a deadly silence behind. Casey rubbed her head and glared at Derek, who was staring at her impassively. 'How can he be so calm?' she thought, the anger inside her mounting.

As soon as George dropped her hand, Casey leapt at Derek, pushing his chair backwards and landing on top of him. "You bastard!" she shouted, slapping and hitting him in the chest and face. "I hate you!"

Derek lay on his back, his arms covering his face in defense mode. Casey felt arms wrap around her waist. "Casey!" Edwin's voice sounded in her ear. "Stop!"

Casey continued to struggle against her younger stepbrother's hold, but Edwin kept his grip and dragged Casey off and away from Derek. He didn't let go, however.

"Jesus, Case! What the hell's the matter with you?" Derek yelled loudly, a hand to his face. "You've totally lost it!"

Casey was all set to retort when Nora interrupted them. "That's enough!" she yelled louder than anyone had ever heard her. "Derek, Casey, go to your rooms. I don't want to see either of you again tonight."

"But . . ." Casey and Derek both started.

"I said MOVE!" Nora boomed, causing the other kids to jump in their seats.

They grumbled but did as told, heading up the stairs and separating into their rooms, the silence between them deafening.

* * *

_Thursday_

'I don't know how much more of this I can take,' Derek thought as he watched Casey laughing with Noel in the hall at school. Well, Casey was laughing and touching Noel's arm. Noel seemed pleased but a bit befuddled.

Derek barely acknowledged Sam when he appeared at his side, prattling on about something or other. He just couldn't seem to tear his eyes away from his shamelessly flirting stepsister, the urge to go over there and drag her away mounting every second.

"Derek!" Sam yelled in his ear, making Derek whip his head toward his friend.

"Geez, what?" Derek said annoyed.

"Dude, I've been trying to get your attention for like, ever," Sam said, sounding more and more like his new preppy girlfriend.

"What is it?" Derek snapped his eyes still on Casey and Noel. He could have sworn he saw Casey shoot him a surreptitious glance, but he wasn't sure.

"Well, now I can't remember," Sam almost whined in his ear. "Although you probably wouldn't listen anyway, what with your preoccupation with Casey."

Derek shot a glance at Sam. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," Sam said slowly, "that you've been staring at her and Noel for the last five minutes." He scratched the back of his neck and a speculative look appeared on his face. "What the heck is going on between you two anyway?"

Derek hoped nothing showed on his face. "What . . ." he struggled to find something to say that wouldn't sound like complete bullshit. "Sam, the only thing going on between me and Casey is a genuine and deep dislike for each other." If he didn't look at his friend's face, he could almost pull it off.

Sam snorted. "Yeah, everyone knows that, but I thought that part of your relationship was in the past."

Derek looked at Sam like he had grown two heads. "Relationship? Who are you, Dr. Phil? Casey and I don't have a _relationship_."

Sam was already shaking his head. Sometime during their conversation they had started migrating toward their next class. He seemed to give up and shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever, man. Call me when you're not such a dick," he said before heading into the room.

Derek followed his friend with his eyes, feeling like a tool. 'This is all Casey's fault,' Derek thought as he scowled and followed Sam.

_Later that day . . ._

Casey strode up the stairs purposefully, anger warring with concern inside of her. Stopping in front of Derek's bedroom door, she rapped twice with her knuckles before entering.

Derek looked up from his comic book when he saw the door open. Casey was standing in front of him with her hands on her hips. He saw her lips moving, but no sound was coming from them. It was then he realized that he still had his earbuds in and pulled them out.

"What?" he said loudly the heavy metal music still ringing in his ears.

Casey sighed dramatically. "I said . . . what the hell is the matter with you?" she asked gesturing to his face.

Derek tossed his comic to the floor and pushed himself further up the bed. "There's nothing wrong with me. I'm perfect," he said cheekily making Casey roll her eyes in exasperation.

Casey stood there silently in front of him for a moment, her eyes studying his face. Her voice softer this time she said, "Derek, what happened at school today? Emily told me that you got into a fight with Darryl in gym and were hauled away to the office!" she stopped and moved forward a few more steps. "I also heard that you were suspended for the rest of the week." Casey's concern took over and she started firing off questions. "Does mom and George know? What did Darryl say to you to make you angry? God, Derek, this could go on your permanent record! Don't you care? This could affect which college you get into . . . why did you do it . . .?"

Derek put one hand up and rubbed the bridge of his nose with the other. "Case, calm down, would ya? I'm fine," he said, looking at Casey. She really did seem to care, which made him feel good. He could almost forget how mad he was at her. Almost. "And it's none of your business what happened. It's only for today and tomorrow. Why do you care anyway? I thought you hated me!" he shot back making Casey frown.

She shifted but said nothing.

"Yeah, I thought so," Derek said moving to put his earbuds back in.

"Derek, wait," Casey said softly. "God, I . . . Emily told me and I was so . . ." she trailed off and sucked in a big breath.

Derek quirked an eyebrow. "So . . . what?"

Casey moved to sit on the bed next to him. Derek's eyes widened but he remained silent. He was even more shocked when she raised a hand and touched her fingers to his cheekbone, gently rubbing under the eye that was swollen from Darryl's fist crashing into it.

"Does it hurt?" she asked softly.

"Not really," he answered his voice low, his eyes on her lips as he struggled with his warring emotions. Why did Casey always do this? One minute she hated him and another she would act all caring, which confused the hell out of him. This was why he didn't do emotions, and he sure as hell didn't do "relationships".

"Derek, what are we doing?" Casey asked softly, her hands now clutched in her lap.

Derek sighed and rubbed a hand over his eyes. "I don't know . . ." he said trailing off.

Casey kept her eyes on the wall as she spoke. "Why do we do this? I can't do this anymore . . . I just can't."

"Can't do what?" Derek asked, but he had a feeling that he knew already, his plummeting stomach confirming it.

"This!" Casey said exasperated, her hand motioning between the two of them. "One minute we're fighting and the next we're all over each other. Can you say dysfunctional? Cuz that's what we are!"

Derek observed his stepsister going into her "freak out" mode and had to stifle a smirk. He would never say it out loud, but he loved it when Casey got all riled up. Her cheeks would flush and her eyes would get bright, and the way she would gesture with her hands . . . well, there was a part of Derek – a deep, deep down part – that thought it was absolutely adorable.

Derek shifted a bit on the bed as he thought about this. He had to agree that his and Casey's relationship (oh, how he hates that word!) was tumultuous at best. It's a wonder that they hadn't killed each other yet.

"Derek!" Casey's shrill voice startled him and he jumped.

"What?" he snapped back with a scowl on his face.

"As usual, you're not listening to me! What are we going to do about this?"

Derek studied Casey's face. Her eyes were wide and she was biting her lip as she waited for his response. He suddenly felt very tired. The words came out of his mouth before he had the chance to think.

"You're right, Case. This is fucked up."

"I know- wait, what?" she asked surprised at his agreement.

Derek bit back a smirk because now was not the time. "What we've been doing," he continued not quite meeting her eyes. "It's not right. We shouldn't do this anymore."

There was nothing but silence for a moment as the words hung out there like a dark cloud. Derek finally mustered up the guts to look at his stepsister's face. She was staring at him, her mouth gaping open, her eyes wide. He could almost imagine that he saw fear there, but he wasn't sure.

"Are you serious?" Casey asked her voice cracking.

Derek's eyes darted away again. He thought about it, and it seemed like the right thing to do. He was tired of all the back and forth between them. Usually he did everything in his power to avoid drama with girls, yet somehow he's found himself in the biggest drama of his life and he can't even get away from it because they live in the same house!

"Yeah," he said his voice low. He took a deep breath and continued, his eyes meeting hers. "I'm sorry Casey, really. I should have never made a move on you. I hope you can forgive me and we can go back to the way we were before all this started."

If possible, Casey's eyes would have popped out of her head. Was she hearing him correctly? First of all, Derek hardly ever apologized – about anything. Second, where was this coming from? She studied his face but found nothing but a sincere expression, making her stomach lurch. Involuntarily she started to shake and tears filled her eyes. She blinked them away quickly and shuddered a deep breath.

"You're kidding, right? What is this, some kind of joke? What's your angle?" she spit out, figuring this was another one of Derek's efforts to mess with her head.

"No joke, no angle," Derek said reaching over to cover her hand with his. Casey's eyes followed the movement. "I just think we should end this before it goes any further."

"Why?" Casey breathed out her eyes still on their hands.

Derek squeezed her hand before answering. "Because all we seem to do is hurt each other, and as much as I like pranking you and getting under your skin, this is much more serious than that. Someone could really get hurt. I mean, what if we start something and then it doesn't work out? How are we supposed to be a family after that?"

At this Casey started crying, unable to hold her tears back any longer. Derek flinched. He hated to see Casey cry. Instinctively, he moved and wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," he said into her hair.

Casey cried harder and wound her arms around Derek, her hands clutching the back of his shirt. Derek was uncomfortable but his concern for Casey overrode that. He rubbed his hands up and down her back and continued to whisper reassuring things into her ear. "It's OK . . . I promise everything will be OK."

Casey drew back. "How can you say that? Nothing's OK. Nothing's EVER going to be OK!" she sobbed.

Derek's eyes widened in surprise. "Sure it will," he said hoping to sound more confident than he felt. "Things will cool down and soon we'll forget all about this."

Casey shook her head and swiped a hand across her face, smearing her makeup. "Don't you get it? I can't forget it! I don't _want_ to forget it!" she cried before throwing herself back into his arms.

"Jesus," Derek whispered drawing Casey into his lap. "I've really fucked things up this time," he said more to himself.

A hiccupping laugh from Casey stopped his musings. "You can't only blame yourself, Derek. It takes two to make a mess as big as this," she said into his shoulder, her hot breath against his neck making him squirm.

The funny hiccupping/laughing coming from Casey made Derek chuckle in spite of himself. "I knew it. I knew it was a bad idea when my dad married your mom. I had a feeling that it would bring nothing but trouble," he said with a sad smile on his face.

Casey whipped back from him, all set to argue when she noticed his expression. "You're kidding," she stated.

Derek smiled fully this time. "Well, only half-kidding."

Casey gave him a watery smile before hugging him again, and all the cuddling was making Derek more than uncomfortable. Whenever he was this close to his stepsister, Derek had a hard time controlling his body, and right now there were parts of him that were definitely standing at attention, even though Casey was obviously not in the same state of mind judging from the volume of her crying.

"Casey, please," Derek said pleadingly.

"What?" she said into his neck, her lips brushing against his skin. "What's the matter?"

Derek sighed into her hair and tried to shift his body so she couldn't feel his erection. "God, you know I hate it when you cry. Can you please stop? It's gonna be OK."

Casey sucked in a breath and struggled to stop, but it only made her feel worse. She had no idea that hearing those words "We have to stop," come out of Derek's mouth would have such an affect on her. She was more attached to him and what they had been flirting with than she thought. And that thought scared the hell out of her, but it was nothing compared to the fear she felt when she thought about Derek not being there for her.

Somehow they found themselves laying back on Derek's bed – Casey in Derek's arms, her face buried in his neck, one arm and leg draped over him. Derek was stroking his hand through her hair, making Casey feel drowsy. She was emotionally drained, but she didn't want to let go. Somehow she had to let Derek know that.

"Derek," Casey breathed into his neck, "I don't want to stop."

Derek's hand stopped moving in Casey's hair. "What?" he squeaked, his pulse starting to race.

Casey moved back and tilted her head to look at his face. "I said I don't want this – us – to stop," she said her breath puffing against his cheek. "Even if I wanted to, I don't think I could."

Derek looked into Casey's eyes, seeing many emotions swirling there. There was a lump in his throat and his heart was pounding. "Casey, what are you saying?" he asked wanting to make absolutely sure that he understood.

Casey refrained from rolling her eyes, knowing Derek just wanted to hear her say it. "I'm saying I want you, Derek. I want this," she said, her hand motioning between the two of them, "with you." She took a deep breath and continued, hoping Derek wouldn't reject her. "Please say you want it too," she ended holding her breath and waiting for his answer. She had just put it all out there and she was scared to death. Would Derek laugh in her face and tell her to fuck off or would he admit that he wanted the same thing?

"What about Edwin?" Derek whispered, his leery eyes on hers.

"It's over," Casey whispered back, her hand rubbing his chest lightly.

"No it's not," Derek countered. "You said you were 'taking a break' or some shit like that. You didn't say that you had definitely broken up."

Casey bit her lip. Technically that was true, but she had no intention of ever starting things up with Edwin again. She knew now that getting involved with her younger stepbrother had been a mistake. He was a very sweet guy but he wasn't for her. Derek was . . . well, he was everything she wanted. A big smile broke out on her face as she realized that.

"What are you smiling about?" Derek asked curious.

Casey's eyes met Derek's and she smiled wider. "Nothing, I just realized something is all," she said dismissively making Derek's brow quirk. "Anyway, I was planning all along on telling Edwin that nothing could ever happen between us again. I just hadn't had the opportunity yet."

Derek searched her face. "Really?"

Casey leaned forward and pressed her lips softly against the side of his chin. "Really. Edwin and I are through."

Derek sucked in a deep breath to try and calm his nerves. He closed his eyes before speaking again. "Casey, as happy as that makes me, you know that it's going to crush him, right?"

Casey sighed and squeezed Derek tighter against her body. "Will it? I mean, we've been separated for awhile now and I think he might like that Andrea girl a little."

Derek didn't look convinced. "I don't think so. I think he was just trying to make you jealous," he gulped then continued. "Look Case, I told you that I didn't want to see my brother's feelings hurt and I meant it. This is why I don't think it's a good idea for us to get any more involved. It would kill him, Case. He loves you."

Casey blinked back tears again. "I know he _thinks_ he's in love with me, but he isn't. He's in love with the _idea _of me. Even if you weren't involved, it would never work out for Ed and me. It would've ended sooner or later."

Derek blew out a breath. "I don't know. It seemed like you two had a lot in common," he said his stomach twisting at the thought.

"Well, that's true. Edwin and I do have a lot of mutual interests, but that doesn't mean that makes us suited romantically."

Derek still wasn't giving in. "What about our vacation? You two were all lovey-dovey . . . for crying out loud, you couldn't keep your hands off each other!" he said, his voice rising slightly at the end.

Casey huffed out a breath. "Derek, it was hormones, nothing more."

"How do I know that isn't all _this_ is?"

Casey thought about that for a moment. Was it just hormones? She didn't think so, but how could she explain how she felt to him?

She decided on the honest approach. "I don't know, Derek, but I'm willing to find out," she said, moving her hand up his chest to his neck and into his hair. She turned his face toward hers and kissed him softly, putting all of her feelings into it.

Derek lay still as he felt Casey's lips against his. He tried to keep from panting and his arm tightened around her, his hand clutching around the back of her head to keep her from moving away.

They kissed softly for a few moments before Casey opened her mouth and flicked her tongue out to run along Derek's lips, making him groan. He brought his hand up and pushed back against her shoulder, ending the kiss.

"Casey, stop. We can't do this . . ."

"Yes we can. I want to. Do you?" she asked, her eyes languid and her skin flushed. She ran her hand down his body and cupped it over his erection. "Do you want me, Derek?" she asked hotly.

Derek cursed inwardly. Damn her! She already knew the answer to that seeing as she was rubbing him. His dick felt like it was going to explode any moment and he struggled to keep his voice even. "Casey . . ." his voice came out whinier than he intended.

"Do you want me?" she repeated leaning forward and biting his jaw lightly, her hand still working between his legs.

Derek threw his head back and bucked up into her hand, his control quickly abandoning him. "God, Casey . . ."

She interrupted him. "Say it, Derek."

He gritted his teeth and grabbed her hand to move it away from his crotch. "No," he said, just being stubborn now.

Casey moved her hand out from under his and before he knew it, she had settled herself over top of him, her body pressing his into the bed. There was no denying that he wanted her. She could feel it pressing into her center, making her underwear flood with wetness. She gasped and clutched both hands in his hair making him look at her. "Say it," she demanded again, her mouth hovering over his.

"Casey," he said, his breath getting caught in his throat. "Get off me." A weak protest for sure, but he was still proud of himself for being able to get it out.

Casey just smirked. "You don't really want me to do that," she cooed, her tears now gone, leaving dried trails on her cheeks. In spite of that, Derek still thought she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. God! He really _was_ fucked!

She started rocking her body against his, creating a delicious friction that made sparks shoot straight to Derek's cock. He wanted to be inside her so bad, but after all the false starts he was leery of pushing anything.

"Tell me you want me, Derek," Casey said against his neck, her tongue darting out to run along his jugular, making the hair on the back of his neck stand up.

He clenched his hands in her shirt on her back. "Casey . . ." he said warningly, but his tone lacked any real bite.

"I want you so bad, Derek," Casey continued ignoring him. "I can't wait anymore. Please Derek . . ." she said trailing off as she moved back slightly to look into his eyes, which were shut tight.

"Unnnnnggh . . ." Derek moaned as she rocked into him harder, his hips now moving against her of their accord. He was about ready to snap.

Her lips were now moving over the skin of his neck and jawline, planting kisses and licks there. "Say the word, Derek and I'll be yours," she said against his lips.

His eyes snapped open and met hers. 'Was she serious? No more teasing and getting him all worked up for nothing?' He kicked himself mentally for thinking like that, but it was true.

They laid there together for a moment, all movement halted, the air between them heavy with expectation. For a split second, Derek didn't know what to do. His head was telling him to push her away, but his body (and his heart) was telling him to go for it. He was giving himself a headache from thinking about it so much.

"Derek . . .?" Casey asked softly, her face uncertain now.

Derek felt his blood boil over and he shoved all rational thoughts to the back of his mind. Casey was saying the words that he had been waiting forever to hear. Who was he to turn her down? He would be the biggest idiot in the world if he did that.

His decision made, he spoke, his eyes heavy on hers. "Yes," he said simply before pulling her down and kissing her.

Casey moaned into his mouth as they fought for control of the kiss before mutually giving up and letting things happen. Their tongues met and twined around each other, their teeth nipping the others' lips playfully. Hands moved everywhere and their bodies resumed rocking against each other, making the bed squeak lightly.

The noise seemed to snap Casey out of her haze of lust. "Derek," she said teasingly, "you still didn't say it."

Derek stopped laving her neck with his tongue and met her eyes, which were smoldering with arousal. "God, woman," he said exasperated, "I want you, alright? I want you, I want you, I want you," he chanted before pulling her down again and taking her mouth.

Derek thought he heard Casey mutter, "Yes," before he slid his tongue back into her mouth, but he wasn't sure. Right now he was more focused on getting her shirt off, which she let him do readily. She pulled him up and quickly removed his shirt as well before they fell back and rolled over, leaving Derek on top. He kissed her everywhere, starting with her lips and moving downward, over her chin, neck and chest before undoing the front clasp of her bra and pushing it apart.

Casey gasped when she felt his mouth cover her right nipple and clenched a hand in his hair, arching her back slightly. God, it felt so good, she never wanted to stop. She loved the way Derek made her feel – she loved how he felt against her. "More Derek," she found herself saying and he complied, moving his mouth to her other breast and swirling his tongue around the nipple.

"Oh god," she ground out as she brought her hands down to his waist and fiddled with the button on his jeans. He soooo needed to be out of those yesterday!

Derek got the hint and let her breast fall from his mouth before sitting up and undoing his pants. He slid them down his legs before kicking them off onto the floor, leaving him in only his boxers. Casey bit her lip at the sight of his body. 'God, he's beautiful.'

He stood at the end of his bed for a moment before getting back on and moving up Casey's body, his hands hovering over her waist. His eyes met hers, silently asking permission, and Casey nodded.

Derek took a deep breath and gulped before undoing her jeans and sliding them down her legs. Reaching out with her hand, Casey grabbed Derek's wrist and drew him to her again. They kissed softly, Derek's hand coming up to rest on Casey's cheek. "Casey . . .?" he said questioningly, his other hand tracing the top of her panties.

Casey looked up at him. His brown eyes were flecked with gold as he waited for her decision. "Yes," she sighed and opened her legs wider, cradling him deeper between them.

Derek smiled but said nothing before moving down and catching his fingers under the lip of her panties and slowly sliding them off. After dropped them on the floor, his eyes drank in the sight of her reclining against his bedspread, eyes feverish with need, her arms and legs stretched out waiting for him. He breathed in deeply to keep himself from fainting (not like he'd ever admit that!) and removed his underwear silently, feeling Casey's eyes track his movement. He could feel his skin burn with the realization.

"Derek . . ." Casey whispered, her hand reaching out for him. He needed no other encouragement and soon his body was covering hers again, making them both moan in appreciation. They kissed again and Derek rocked his body against hers, his hardness rubbing against her thigh. Casey wrapped her arms and legs around him, trapping him against her. She loved the way his body felt against hers, the way their skin rubbed together. Another gush of wetness appeared between her legs and she thought she had never been more aroused in her life.

Casey gasped when she felt Derek's fingers at her entrance, rubbing along her slit. "I want you, Casey," he said, his voice like gravel in her ear.

She had an attack of nervousness at the thought of finally going all the way, but there was no way in hell that she was stopping now. She spoke before she could change her mind. "Then take me," she said, hoping her voice didn't tremble.

Derek reared back and his eyes bore into hers before nodding silently. He leaned over and with his right arm opened his nightstand, grabbing a box of condoms. Casey's eyes widened when she saw what he had.

"Uh, Derek, you don't need those," she said embarrassed.

He stilled on top of her. "Why not?" he asked dumbly.

"I'm on the pill."

He looked at her disbelievingly. "Since when?"

"Since a few months," she huffed trying not to lose her patience. 'Enough talking!'

Derek bit his lip. "I don't know, Case, I still think . . ."

"No Derek," Casey said, "I'm serious. It's OK, I'm covered."

He looked at her for another moment before acquiescing and dropping the box on the floor. Moving back fully on top her, he guided himself to her entrance and rubbed the head of his dick along it, getting himself ready.

Casey sighed and tightened her arms around him, trying not to tense up. Derek leaned forward and brushed his lips over hers as he slowly entered, concerned about hurting her.

"Ooooohhh," Casey said as a breath she didn't know she'd been holding escaped her.

Derek continued moving into her as he placed sweet kisses on her lips and cheek. He stopped and took a deep breath when he was all the way in, trying to get control of his hormones. He didn't want this to be over too soon. The feeling of being inside of Casey was exhilarating.

He didn't know he had closed his eyes until he felt Casey's hand on his cheek. "Derek," she whispered and he opened his eyes and met hers. She had a small smile on her face, but her eyes were wide with lust and . . . was that fear?

"Are you OK?" Derek asked, his hand coming up and brushing the hair from her face.

Casey shifted a bit below him and the movement made him hiss. Casey quirked a brow before answering. "Yeah, I'm good," she said before bucking her hips a bit. "Derek . . ." she said breathily. "Move . . . I want to feel you."

The sound of her voice spurred him to action and he slowly began to rock himself inside of her. She let out a breath and Derek swooped down to catch it with his mouth, his tongue gently teasing her lips open. They kissed as Derek glided in and out of her tight slickness, still struggling to retain his control.

Casey clung to Derek as he moved inside of her and when he broke their kiss to take a breath, she bit her lip to keep herself from moaning. Derek's lips had moved to her neck and he was panting against her skin, making a shiver run through her body. She ran her hands down the skin of his back, noting the sweat that had pooled there. Unconsciously she began to move her hips against his to create more friction. The feeling of finally having him inside her was overwhelming. Casey hugged Derek tighter to her and gently pressed her lips to his shoulder.

"Casey . . ." Derek whispered in her ear breathily, his body moving faster against her.

"Yes . . . yes . . . yes . . ." Casey chanted back softly. All of her feelings for her infuriating stepbrother crashed over her and she felt tears prick her eyes. 'No!' She didn't want Derek to see her crying. He would automatically assume that something was wrong and want to stop. Casey quickly blinked the tears away and moved her hands up to each side of Derek's face, gripping it and bringing their lips together again.

They kissed languidly for awhile as they continued to move together, the bed squeaking in protest. In the back of Derek's mind, he was aware that they wouldn't be alone in the house for too much longer. The way Casey felt around him and under him, though, forced the thought from his mind. He wanted to savor this moment forever. The way she looked as he stroked in and out of her, her hair splayed on his pillow around her head, her skin flushed pink, her eyes bright with need – he never wanted that image to go away. He had a sudden urgent need to tell her how he _really_ felt about her, but couldn't quite bring himself to say the words – not yet, anyway.

"Faster, Derek," Casey said in his ear causing a ripple of desire to shoot down his back to his toes. Well, who was he to deny a request like that? He dug his toes into the sheets and picked up his pace, making Casey gasp in response. Derek watched as she threw her head back against the pillow and bared her neck to him. Unable to resist, Derek bent down, fastened his mouth over her jugular and sucked hard on the skin there.

"Fuck!" Casey groaned and clenched her hands against the skin of his back. They were both sweating now, the hair around Casey's face damp with perspiration.

Derek felt his orgasm approaching with the tell-tale sign of the tightening of his lower back. He stroked into his stepsister faster, his mouth working on leaving a nice reminder of their activities for Casey to examine later on her neck.

Casey was panting now, and started to half/groan, half/mewl in pleasure. Derek thought he had never heard anything cuter and vowed to make her make that noise as often as possible. Feeling his end approaching rapidly, Derek moved a hand between them and starting stroking Casey's clit, alternating between flicking and rubbing. Even he had to admit, his moves were pretty good. He definitely had a talent for this. Smirking as he watched Casey's eyes roll back in her head, he bent as covered her mouth with his, their lips barely touching, just breathing in each other's air as their bodies moved frantically against each other.

"Oh god . . . Derek . . . don't stop, don't stop, don't' stop . . ." Casey gasped as her back arched and she started to shudder with her release. The feel of her body gripping his inside and out drew Derek over and he buried his head in her neck as he shuddered out his orgasm into her.

They lay there together in silence for awhile as they both tried to catch their breath. Casey's arms were still wrapped around Derek and her hands had started idly drawing designs on his back as she waited for him to move off her. Truth be told, she wasn't in any hurry for him to pull away. She rather enjoyed having the weight of him on her. It made it feel all the more real – what they had just done. Casey smiled widely. She wasn't a virgin anymore, and the thought didn't freak her out one bit. She knew she would probably start over-thinking it later, but right now she just wanted to enjoy the moment.

**Review Please!**


	61. Chapter 61

**Dear Readers: I've decided to give you a little morsel of the next chapter. I hope this whets your appetite!**

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but a leaning Christmas tree.

**Chapter Sixty-One**

"What the hell were you thinking, Derek?" George's voice sounded up the stairs from the living room.

Sitting out of sight at the top of the stairs, Casey cringed.

"Dad . . ." Derek started but was interrupted by his furious father.

"No, I don't want to hear it! You've gone too far this time! That's it! You're done with hockey, and you're grounded for the rest of the year!"

Casey gasped. She had never heard her stepfather so angry before. She could picture Derek's face as he sat on the couch facing his father. Casey leaned over and rubbed the heels of her hands into her eyes. This was all her fault.

**More coming soon!**


	62. Chapter 62

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, but I do have a wonderful family!

**A.N.** I know it's been an obscenely long time between updates. I've been on a voyage of self-discovery and this is what I've determined: I'm a procrastinator. I know, call me Captain Obvious, why don't ya?

**Chapter Sixty-Two: Reality Bites**

_**Previously**_

_"What the hell were you thinking, Derek?" George's voice sounded up the stairs from the living room._

_Sitting out of sight at the top of the stairs, Casey cringed._

_"Dad . . ." Derek started but was interrupted by his furious father._

_"No, I don't want to hear it! You've gone too far this time! That's it! You're done with hockey, and you're grounded for the rest of the year!"_

_Casey gasped. She had never heard her stepfather so angry before. She could picture Derek's face as he sat on the couch facing his father. Casey leaned over and rubbed the heels of her hands into her eyes. This was all her fault._

* * *

Forty-five minutes earlier…

"Are you okay?"

Casey smiled at Derek's concerned look. "I'm wonderful."

Derek shifted to move off of her, but she tightened her arms around him. "Don't go."

"I gotta be crushing you," he said, his eyes soft.

"No, I like it," Casey whispered before pulling him down to her. They kissed for a few moments before breaking apart.

Derek remained on top of Casey, his weight braced on his forearms, his hand gently brushing back the tangle of hair from her face. "Are you sure I didn't hurt you?"

Casey couldn't help the giggle that escaped. "Derek, I'm fine, really. It was…beautiful," she said with a soft smile.

Derek smirked. "Beautiful, eh? I've never heard that one before," he replied before thinking.

Casey's smiled dimmed and she brought her hands up to push him away. "Yeah, well, don't let it go to your head."

Derek mentally slapped himself. "Case, wait, I didn't mean…"

"I know," Casey bit off as Derek pulled out and flopped down next to her. She sat up and turned her back to him, her eyes searching the room for her clothes. Her blissful mood had quickly evaporated and now there was a knot in her throat that threatened to choke her.

Derek sat up and moved behind her, his arms going around her. "Damn it, I'm sorry, okay? I didn't think…"

Casey sighed. "You never think, Derek, that's the problem."

Derek dropped his arms and ran a hand through his hair. "Can we talk about this?" he said reluctantly, knowing that Casey would probably want to pick apart what he so thoughtlessly blurted out.

Casey took a deep breath and turned to him and Derek's eyes involuntarily went to her chest. 'She really did have magnificent breasts,' he thought to himself before snapping out of it.

Casey reached out her hand and grasped Derek's chin, making his eyes leave her chest to meet hers. "No, let's not talk about it. I'm tired of talking," she said before pushing him back on the bed and covering her body with his.

Twenty minutes later, they were wrapped up in each other again when they heard the door slam violently downstairs.

"Derek!" George's voice called up the stairs. He did not sound happy.

"Oh shit!" Derek said as he pulled away from Casey, who had a horrified look on her face. Together they jumped out of bed and hastily dressed.

"Oh my god, oh my god," Casey chanted as she struggled with her bra before giving up and pulling on a t-shirt from Derek's floor.

"Derek, get down here, NOW!" George's voice thundered again from the vicinity of the living room. Casey could only guess as to what had him in a fury.

"Coming!" Derek yelled as he zipped up his pants then grabbed his shirt. Casey watched as he finished dressing and went to his mirror to smooth out his hair.

"Do I look okay?" he asked as he turned around to face her.

Casey let out a manic giggle.

Derek frowned and went to her, his hand bracing her forearms. Shaking her a bit, he said, "Snap out of it! We don't want them to know, do we?"

Casey mutely shook her head.

Derek nodded then moved back. "Now, do I look like I've been, you know…" he trailed off awkwardly.

Casey smiled slightly. "Yes, but that's because I know you _have_ been."

Derek huffed out a nervous laugh. "Yeah, well, let's hope that George doesn't notice, yeah?" He shifted on his feet a bit before grabbing Casey and bringing her to him. "Stay in here, okay? Let me handle this. I am a _way_ better liar than you," he said before kissing her quickly.

Before she knew it, she was alone in his room and fighting the urge to vomit from nervousness.

Derek took a deep breath before heading down the stairs. He found his father sitting rigidly on the couch with his hands clasped in his lap.

"You rang?" Derek drawled, hopping down the last few steps before flopping down in his chair.

George turned and glared at him. "Do you know why I'm home early, Derek?"

Derek lifted his wrist and idly glanced at his watch. "I didn't notice."

George let out what could only be described as a growl and Derek's eyes widened.

"I got a call from your school today, son," George said with deceptive calm. "You know how much I like to get those."

Derek shrugged, feeling himself relax a bit. Obviously this wasn't about what just happened in his room.

"What the hell were you thinking, Derek?" George's voice sounded up the stairs from the living room.

Sitting out of sight at the top of the stairs, Casey cringed.

"Dad . . ." Derek started but was interrupted by his furious father.

"No, I don't want to hear it! You've gone too far this time! That's it! You're done with hockey, and you're grounded for the rest of the year!"

Casey gasped. She had never heard her stepfather so angry before. She could picture Derek's face as he sat on the couch facing his father. Casey leaned over and rubbed the heels of her hands into her eyes. This was all her fault.

George leaned forward, the look in his eyes making Derek shrink back in a bit in his chair. "Derek, I've had it with your attitude! Do you know how much stress you've been causing in this household lately? Between you getting in fights at school and fighting with Casey at home, Nora's about ready to have a heart attack! Do you even care about anyone other than yourself? I was _pulled out of a meeting_ so I could listen to your principal rant in my ear about how out of control you are! Do I need to send you to military school?"

Derek stared at his father for a moment before replying. Obviously he had had a bad day and Derek needed to handle this situation with kid gloves, otherwise he _would _be spending the rest of his senior year at Ontario's Preparatory School for Boys, in which case, he would have to run away and that didn't fit with his plan to spend as much time as he could in bed with Casey.

"Dad, I'm really sorry, okay? I lost my temper with this assho, er, idiot in Gym and I just snapped, ya know? Hasn't that ever happened to you?" Derek asked with a pleading look on his face. If anything, he had to appeal to his father's sense of justice and fairness.

George sighed and rubbed a hand over his forehead. "Yes, but that doesn't mean you can go around beating people up! Derek, you have to learn to control yourself! You keep this up and you won't graduate!"

Derek held back a laugh. _Now_ his father was just being ridiculous. "Dad, really, I've hardly been in trouble all year, and you know that. I think you may be overreacting a bit…"

George put up his hand. "Don't start, Derek. You're on thin ice as it is. Now tell me what happened today. What did that kid say to you to make you go off on him?"

Derek shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "Nothing, he was being a dick, that's all. Doesn't matter."

George snorted as he rose from the sofa. "It's not that easy, son. You think you can always weasel your way out of things? That's not how life is and the sooner you realize that, the better things will be."

Derek's brows rose. It wasn't often that his father doled out advice, preferring to leave that part of parenting to Nora. "So, am I really grounded for a year?" He asked giving his father his best puppy dog face. It was a tactic that he hadn't used in years and he was hoping it would work like it used to and his father would just melt and say everything was okay.

George sighed and closed his eyes. "Derek…" he groaned before sitting down quite ungracefully on the couch. "You're killing me here."

Derek grinned triumphantly but the look quickly left his face when his father's eyes pinned him. "No, you're not, but I'm telling you now, with everything that's going on around here, I need you to stay out of trouble. If you won't do it for me, do it for Nora," he said appealing to his son's not-often said, but undeniable love for his stepmother.

Derek made a show of sighing dramatically. "Will do, pops. Anything else?" he asked as he popped out of his chair and made for the stairs.

George followed his son with his eyes, just now seeming to notice his son's flushed skin and bright eyes.

"Dad?" Derek's voice broke him from his musings.

"Uh, yeah, be down here in an hour to set the table. You're also on kitchen duty tonight."

Derek groaned but shut up at George's glare. "Right," he said before bounding back up the stairs.

On the second floor landing, Casey heard the conversation wrap up and darted back into Derek's room, which is where Derek found her, sitting on the end of his bed trying to look nonchalant.

"Have fun listening?" Derek said with a smirk as he took a seat next to Casey.

Casey looked sheepish. "Well, you didn't expect me to actually stay here, did you? There's no way I could just sit up here not knowing what was happening downstairs."

Derek nodded. "Well, George just needed to blow off some steam and remind me and himself that he's the parent. No biggie."

Casey snorted. "Derek, you shouldn't talk about your dad like that. I thought we were busted for sure."

Derek laughed. "Casey, how could he possibly know what we were doing? Unless he has a hidden camera in here or something," he said as he wrapped his arm around Casey and pulled her to him. "Don't worry, he doesn't know anything."

Casey sighed and leaned her head against Derek's shoulder. "Yeah, for now he doesn't, but what happens now, Derek? Are we supposed to just sneak around for the rest of our lives?"

Derek stiffened at the phrase _the rest of our lives_. "Uh, well, you know I'm not good with planning. Why don't we just take it one day at a time and see what happens?"

Casey lifted her head from Derek's shoulder and looked at him. He looked uncomfortable with the whole conversation and Casey's stomach clenched. Now the second thoughts were starting to surface and she wasn't ready to deal with them just yet. "Yeah, alright," she said before rising. "Well, I have homework to do, so I'll see you at dinner, OK?"

Derek rose and grabbed her arm. "Wait, Case, are we…I mean, is this OK?" At Casey's expression, he chuckled nervously and scratched the back of his neck. "I mean, are we good?"

Casey smiled despite the pit in her stomach. "Yeah, Derek, we're good," she said before pecking him on the lips and walking out.

Derek was left standing there staring at the closed door feeling vaguely like he had done something wrong but he didn't know what to do about it.

**Review please!**


End file.
